Drawing of a nude female figure seated on a plinth, holding her left foot. Identified as a study of a cast of 'Nymph Washing her Foot', by Adriaen de Vries. She is seen from the left side, facing away from the viewer. here is a triangular insert of the same prepared paper at the top left of the sheet. Made by Joseph Wright of Derby (1734-1797), after Adriaen de Vries (c. 1556-1626), c.1760-1769. Black and white chalks on grey-brown prepared paper. Pasted onto board. Displayed in a cream window mount.

Exhibitions:

  • Title: Joseph Wright of Derby, 1734-1797: Bicentenary Exhibition
    Venue: Wallis, Jane
    Dates: from 21/06/1997 to 28/09/1997
  • Title: Joseph Wright of Derby: Life on Paper
    Venue: Derby Museum and Art Gallery
    Dates: from 23/05/2025 to 07/09/2025

Publications

  • Title: Joseph Wright of Derby 1734 - 1797
    Sub-Title: An introduction to the work of Joseph Wright of Derby with a catalogue of drawings held by Derby Museum and Art Gallery. Published on the occasion of an exhibition commemorating the Bicentenary of the artist's death.
    Author: Wallis, Jane
    Published Place: Derby
    Published Year: 1997
  • Title: Gainsborough's 'Diana and Actaeon' Revealed
    Author: Christopher Lloyd
    Published Place: Suffolk
    Published Year: 2011

Related People

  • Joseph Wright of Derby (Artist)

    Display Date: British, 1734 - 1797

    Nationality: British

    Biography: Artist.

  • Adriaen de Vries (After)

    Display Date: Dutch, c. 1556-1626

    Nationality: Dutch

Study of 'Nymph Washing her Foot', after Adriaen de Vries

Date: c. 1760-1769

Medium: Black and white chalk on grey-brown prepared paper.

Object Type:Drawing
Dimensions:Support: 451 × 292 mm (17 3/4 × 11 1/2 in.)
Description:Statue identified as by Adriaen de Vries (1550-1626) 17th century Dutch Sculptor - copy of this statue in the V & A. Authority: David Ekserdjan, Christies and Charles Avery (Sculpture Historian), Beckenham, Kent. In the catalogue for the exhibition Gainsborough's 'Diana and Actaeon' Revealed, which was held at Gainsborough's House in 2011, Christopher Lloyd notes that many reduced versions and derivations of Adriaen de Vries' sculpture are known, and were much admired in 18th century Britain. Gainsborough used the same pose for 'Musidora' (c.1785) as well as one the figures in 'Diana an Actaeon' (c.1785). De Vries, like his master Giambologna before him, was inspired by classical prototypes.The 'Nymph Washing her Foot' shares affinities with ancient sculptures of Venus, such as the Crouching Venus in the Uffizi, Florence. Lloyd goes on to suggest that Wright's drawing after a cast, though standard for training young artists, appears to have been made later than his time with Hudson (c.1768-9). He also suggests that the white highlights hint at the study having been made by candlelight and links this to the period of the 'Gladiator' and 'Academy by Lamplight' paintings. Finally, he points out that Wright appears to have made no further use of the figure/pose in his work [see p.28 of the exhibition catalogue for analysis of the drawing]. In August 2024, it was observed by Lucy Bamford and Matt Edwards that both this study and the study of the left hand for the portrait of William Rastell (DBYMU 1996-1/80) appear to have been made on the same prepared paper. This might suggest that the studies were produced at about the same time. The Rastell family portraits were made in 1760, so I have therefore taken the liberty of suggesting a broadening of the approximate date range of this study to c.1760-1769. Previous dating was suggested by Lowell Libson based on a comparison of the colour of the prepared paper of this sheet with that of Wright’s study for the portrait of Fleetwood Hesketh. In fact it is different again, the paper of the Hesketh study having a cooler grey tone than that of the present sheet. [LB:2024]
Provenance:Purchased from David Posnett, Leger Galleries Ltd., 1995.
Viewing Status:Contact Us
Item Ref:1996-1/84
Browse Collection
Browse Collection