Niobe

Niobe
Niobe
Niobe
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne (Felton Bequest, 1925)
title=Credit line
Artist
William Sharp (1749-1824) and Samuel Smith (1745-1810) after Wilson
Title
Niobe
Date
Published 4 June 1803
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
Metric: 520 x 662 mm
Imperial: 20 7/16 x 26 1/16 in.
Accession Number
1577/3
Wilson Online Reference
E58
Description
Eleven of Niobe's children are killed in a stormy setting, whose horror is emphasised by trees broken or bent with the wind, lightning, tumultuous seas and a lurid sky.
Provenance
Felton Bequest 1925.
Signature/inscription
Lettered below the image with arms of Sir George Beaumont and motto: ERECTUS NON ELATUS;
[1] Upper left: 'The Figures Engraved by Willm. Sharp.'
[2] Upper centre: NIOBE
[3] Upper right: 'The Landscape by Saml. Smith.'
[4] Centre: 'From the FIRST PICTURE on that Subject Painted by RICHARD WILSON ESQ. R.A. | In the Collection of Sir George Beaumont Bart. To whom this Plate is respectfully Dedicated by his obliged humble Servant Samuel Smith.
[5] Lower centre, publication line: London Publish'd June 4, 1803, by J. & J. Boydell, No. 90, Cheapside and at the Shakspeare Gallery Pall Mall. LONDON.'
Inscribed in pencil in a modern hand, lower left corner: 40
Collectors' marks
[1] Recto lower right corner stamp: 'National Galleries of Victoria' encircling pencil number: 1577 / 3
Related Drawings
D355 Study for Figure for Niobe, National Museum Wales, Cardiff (NMW A 1885)
NWD400 Samuel Sharp after Wilson Niobe, The British Museum
Related Prints
E52 William Sharp and Samuel Smith Niobe, 1788, National Museum Wales, Cardiff (NMW A 11416) and other impressions
E54 William Sharp and Samuel Smith after Wilson, Niobe , 1792, Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, USA (B1977.14.14569) and other impressions
Versions
See 'Links' tab
Related Paintings
P90B The Destruction of Niobe's Children, ex-National Gallery; destroyed 1944
P90D Studio of Wilson, Apollo destroying the Children of Niobe, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
P90E The Destruction of Niobe's Children, Collection of Richard L. Feigen & Co
Critical commentary
Published 4 June 1803 by Boydell.
Bibliography
Edwards 1808, p. 88; W.S Baker, William Sharp, Engraver, with a descriptive Catalogue of his Works, Philadelphia 1975, p. 83, no. 113 (4)
Condition/Conservation
Trimmed arond the platemark. Discoloured overall, with staining especially in the lower right corner. Unmounted.