Anthony van Dyck - 1624 sketch of Sofonisba Anguissola with description

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Anthony van Dyck - 1624 sketch of Sofonisba Anguissola with description
Anthony van Dyck - 1624 sketch of Sofonisba Anguissola with description

Anthony van Dyck - Sketch book from Italy with description of his encounter with the old paintress Sofonisba Anguissola [1624]
London BM; MN 1957,1214.207.110
www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1957-1214-207-110

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Inscribed in pen and brown ink:
"Rittratto della Sigra. Sofonisma pittricia fatto dal vivo in Palermo l'anno 1624 li 12 di Julio: l'età di essa 96 havendo ancora la memoria et il serverllo (cervello) prontissimo, cortesissima, et sebene per la vecciaia la mancava la vista, hebbe con tutto cio gusto de mettere gli quadri avanti ad essa et congran stenta mettendo il naso sopra il quadro, venne a discernere qualche poca et piglio gran piacere ancora in quel modo, facende il ritratto de essa, mi diede diversi advertimenti non devendo pigliar il lume troppo alto, accio che le ombre nelle ruge della vecciaia non diventassero troppo grande, et molti altri buoni discorsi come ancora conto parte della vita di essa per la quale se conobbe che era pittora de natura et miraculaso et la pena magiore che hebbe era per mancamento di vista non poter piu dipingere: la mano era ancora ferma senza tremula nessuna".

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English translation:
"Portrait of the paintress Signora Sofonis(b)a, done from life in Palermo in the year 1624, on 12th of July: her age being 96 years, still with her memory and brain most quick, and most kind, and although she has lost her sight because of her old age, she enjoyed to have paintings put in front of her, and with great effort by placing her nose close to the picture, she could make out a little of it, and still takes great pleasure in that. While I was making her portrait she alerted me to various things: not to hold the light too high, so the shadows aren’t too deep in the lines of an old person’s face, for instance; and she told me many good things about her life, too. It was clear that she was a born painter and a wonderful one, and it pains her greatly not to be able to paint any more because of her vision. Her hand was steady, without the slightest tremor."
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Later, van Dyck claimed that “he had learned more from a sightless old woman than from all the master painters in Italy”.

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Taken on: October 29, 2021
Tags: Everybody's photos tagged with female female Everybody's photos tagged with artist artist
Sets appears in:   • Palermo, Art in Palermo    • Sofonisba Anguissola & family   
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