Antoine Denis Chaudet
1763-1810
The Transformation
6 7/8 x 5 inches (175 x 127 mm)
Pen and brown ink and wash, over black chalk, with white, on paper; ruled border in pen and brown ink.
2000.7
Gift of John M. Thayer in honor of the 75th anniversary of the Morgan Library and the 50th anniversary of the Association of Fellows.
Notes
The sheet depicts a scene from Book III, chapters 24-25, of Lucius Apuleius's "The Golden Ass," in which Lucius, with the help of the servant girl Fotis (or Photis), has stripped off his clothing and rubbed magical ointment all over his body, in the hopes of being transformed into a bird. To their dismay, Fotis and Lucius find that he is instead being transformed into an ass, Fotis having stolen the wrong ointment from her mistress, the enchantress Pamphile.
This drawing was engraved and published in 1795. There is another illustration by Chaudet based on Apuleius's tale in the collection of the Library (inv. 2000.8). Chaudet completed at least ten illustration sketches of similar size and technique for "The Golden Ass," around 1795, when he branched out into designing book illustrations after primarily working as a sculptor.
This drawing was engraved and published in 1795. There is another illustration by Chaudet based on Apuleius's tale in the collection of the Library (inv. 2000.8). Chaudet completed at least ten illustration sketches of similar size and technique for "The Golden Ass," around 1795, when he branched out into designing book illustrations after primarily working as a sculptor.
Inscriptions/Markings
Watermark: none.
Associated names
Lagrenée, Colonel, former owner.
Ryskamp, Charles, former owner.
Currier, Michael, former owner.
Thayer, John M. (John MacLane), 1944-2004, former owner.
Apuleius. Metamorphoses.
Ryskamp, Charles, former owner.
Currier, Michael, former owner.
Thayer, John M. (John MacLane), 1944-2004, former owner.
Apuleius. Metamorphoses.
Artist
Classification
Century Drawings
School
Catalog link
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