About this lot

Description

or Margaretha Dietzsch (1726-1795)A botanical study of a cockscomb (Celosia argentea var. cristata)gouache on vellum, unframed35.7 x 27.4cmFootnote: The Dietzsch family of artists flourished in 18th century Nuremberg, which was then one of the foremost centres of botanical art in Europe thanks to the patronage of the botanist Dr Christoph Jakob Trew (1695-1769). Johann Israel Dietzsch (1681-1754) had seven children who became artists, amongst whom Barbara Regina (1706-1783), Johann Christoph (1710-1769) and Margaretha (1726-1795) were employed by the Nuremberg court, specialising in botanical studies of flowers, fruit and insects in watercolour and gouache.The work of the Dietzsch family was highly sought after by collectors in both the Netherlands and England. Since they all treated similar subject matter on a dark prepared ground and their studies are rarely signed, it is difficult to distinguish with certainty the hand of the various family members. Today, fine examples of their work can be found in distinguished private and institutional collections worldwide, including the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.Barbara, the eldest daughter of Johann Israel, is considered the most gifted and productive member of the family. The present study could be attributed to her on stylistic grounds by comparison with a nearly identical composition of the same subject by her, dated to circa 1740, which is held at the Yale Centre for British Art, no. B2012.33.6.

Back to lot listings