Italian School, 17th Century

Cassiano dal Pozzo
By descent to his brother, Carlo Antonio dal Pozzo
By descent to his son, Gabriele dal Pozzo
By descent to his son, Cosimo Antonio dal Pozzo
By whom sold, in 1703, to Pope Clement XI
Thence by descent to Cardinal Alessandro Albani
From whom acquired in 1762 by James Adam for King George III
Thereafter, Royal Library, Windsor Castle, until after the first World War, when several albums of dal Pozzo drawings were sold
William Drummond, London
Acquired from the above, 1996

London, Grosvenor House Antiques Fair, 1996
Morgan 2001, no. 9

To be included in the forthcoming volume Series B: Natural History. Part Four: Birds, from The Paper Museum of Cassiano dal Pozzo published by the Royal Library, Windsor Castle

Laid down on the Cassiano dal Pozzo mount. Slightly discolored towards the edges, small repaired tear bottom left corner, overall in generally good condition.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This lively and imposing study of a crow is on the characteristic mount and bears the numbering of dal Pozzo's collection, which contained at least four large folio volumes of drawings of birds.

Cassiano dal Pozzo (1588-1637) was one of the most remarkable intellectuals of his time. He assembled and commissioned an enormous collection of drawings of natural history and antiquarian and architectural subjects which he called his Museum Chartaceum (Paper Museum). It included works by famous artists, such as Pietro da Cortona, but also by unidentified artists such as the present example. The collection passed eventually to King George III, and is in the Royal Library at Windsor, although after the first World War a number of volumes were sold and dismembered. Therefore, many individual pages are now in public and private collections in Europe and the United States. The Royal Collection has undertaken the massive and invaluable task of publishing the entire collection, and this study will be included in the forthcoming volume devoted to birds.

See also lot 122.