The First Entrance to the Cuniculo

The First Entrance to the Cuniculo
The First Entrance to the Cuniculo
The First Entrance to the Cuniculo
The Trustees of the British Museum
title=Credit line
Artist
Ascribed to Wilson
Title
The First Entrance to the Cuniculo
Date
c.1752-56 (undated)
Medium
Black chalk, touched with white, on grey-buff paper
Dimensions
Metric: 263 x 379 mm
Imperial: 10 3/8 x 14 15/16 in.
Accession Number
Oo,5.7
Wilson Online Reference
NWD108/1
Description
An archway can been seen cut in the rock, with a projecting arch of brick built on, leading to a hollow chamber, mounded up with earth. Before it are two peasants, one sitting and one standing.
Provenance
Bequeathed by Richard Payne Knight, 1824
Signature/inscription
Inscribed on the right:
[1] In ink: the first Entrance towards | the Cuniculo near a quarter | of a mile up the mountain | and above a mile distant | from the Lake
[2] In black chalk: you see [illegible word] these | sketches were done | in [illegible word]
haste -
[3] In graphite: Wilson
Subject
The tunnel was made by the Romans in AD 52 in order to drain the Lacus Fucius
Critical commentary
Pace the setting and the provenance the drawing style argues against Wilson himself as the artist, nor is the inscription in his hand. This is one of several drawings of the Emissario and its environs by the same hand (see also NWD107 Outlet of the Emissario and NWD108 Entrance to the Cuniculo, both in the British Museum and with the same provenance).
Bibliography
Binyon 32
Updated by Compiler
2016-03-02 00:00:00