Bernhard Strigel

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Bernhard Strigel
1460 or 1461-1528
Two Lovers
ca. 1503
Pen and black ink, with opaque white and yellow, on paper prepared with red-brown.
7 11/16 x 6 7/8 inches (195 x 175 mm)
Purchased by Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913) in 1909.
I, 250
Notes: 

Watermark: none visible through lining.
Formerly attributed to Master of the Housebook, 15th cent. and Israhel van Meckenem, d. 1503.

Inscription: 

Inscribed by the artist in a banderole at upper right in pen and black ink, "Er tut Doch hupschlich [?]" Inscribed on the verso of the old mount by Jonathan Richardson, Jr., in pen and brown ink, "Sy tue doch Scripsthuch. / Be thou then a Lamb:piece. i.e. Behave Moderstly. / The Severity of which Rebuke her Eyes correct. / For, as Old Morley said (when He Courted the Heiress of the / D. of Newcastle for my L. Oxford's Son & she told him, / on his proposing this Match to Her, that she would or: / :der him to be flung into the Well,) to himself, on his / observing her Eyes, Ah! Girl I have Thee; for as He / told my Father & me, at his House at Halstead, in / telling us the whole Progress of this most Important / Business (for it occasioned the Breach between Oxford / & Bolingbroke, & of consequence probably defeated the bring: / :ing in of the Pretender, as Oxford was, now, too well pro / :vided for, to risk a Civil War) The Tongue may Lye, / but Eyes will Tell Truth. A strikly True, & most Curious / Anecdote this!"; below this in pen and black ink, in J.C. Robinson's hand, "Ey tut doch suptlich" / "Eh touch softly", and "The above is in the handwriting of / Jonathan Richardson Junr. / Collections / J. Richardson / Rogers / Sir T. Lawrence / W Russell / JCRobinson apl 18.1885".

Provenance: 
Jonathan Richardson, Sr. (Lugt 2184); Jonathan Richardson, Jr. (Lugt 2170 and 2997); Charles Rogers (no mark; see Lugt 624-6); Sir Thomas Lawrence (Lugt 2445); William Russell (Lugt 2468); Sir John Charles Robinson (Lugt 1433); Charles Fairfax Murray (1849-1919), London and Florence; from whom purchased through Galerie Alexandre Imbert, Rome, in 1909 by Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913), New York (no mark; see Lugt 1509); his son, J. P. Morgan, Jr. (1867-1943), New York.
Associated names: 

Master of the Housebook, active 15th century, Formerly attributed to.
Meckenem, Israhel van, d. 1503, Formerly attributed to.
Richardson, Jonathan, 1665-1745, former owner.
Richardson, Jonathan, 1694-1771, former owner.
Rogers, Charles, 1711-1784, former owner.
Lawrence, Thomas, Sir, 1769-1830, former owner.
Russell, William, 1800-1884, former owner.
Robinson, John Charles, Sir, 1824-1913, former owner.
Murray, Charles Fairfax, 1849-1919, former owner.
Morgan, J. Pierpont (John Pierpont), 1837-1913, former owner.

Bibliography: 

Denison, Cara D., and Helen B. Mules, with the assistance of Jane V. Shoaf. European Drawings, 1375-1825. New York : Pierpont Morgan Library, 1981, no. 10, repr.
100 Master drawings from the Morgan Library & Museum. München : Hirmer, 2008, no. 64, repr. [Achim Riether]

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