Samuel Bottschild
(Sangerhausen 1641 – 1707 Dresden)
Odysseus and Epeus Debate the Size of the Troyan Horse, c. 1700
Pen in brown ink
26.3 x 46.3 cm
Signed and inscribed lower left: "Samuel Botschild. Inv. et del."
LITERATURE
Deutsche Zeichnungen vom Mittelalter bis zum Barock, Bestandskatalog der Graphischen Sammlung der Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, Hans-Martin Kaulbach (ed.), Stuttgart 2007, no. 115, p. 82, ill.
PROVENANCE
Collection Boguslaw Jolles, Dresden/Vienna (Lugt 381a)
Hugo Helbing, Munich, October 31, 1895, Collection B. Jolles, no. 75
Collection Michael Berolzheimer, Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Sale Adolf Weinmüller, Munich, March 9-10, 1939, no. 121
Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, inv. no. GL 3516
Restituted to the heirs of Michael Berolzheimer in 2014
Bottschild was active in Leipzig by 1660 but soon moved to Dresden. He lived in Italy between 1672 and 1677 where he encountered the Roman High Baroque. The influence of French art of the 17th c. through prints is also present in this phase. In 1677 he advanced to official Saxon court painter and devoted himself to the care of the Elector's gallery.
Bottschild made an etching of this drawing, originally conceived for a ceiling fresco, and published it in his series "Opera varia historica poetica". The subject presents a lively interaction between Odysseus and Epeus debating the size of the Trojan Horse about to be built. The composition recalls in particular Simon Vouet.
We kindly thank David Mandrella, Paris, for research assistance.