Fountain with Putti in the Garden of the Villa Borghese
1880
Medium
Black crayon over graphite, with opaque white watercolor and touches of red chalk, squared with graphite for transfer, on tan wove paper
Dimensions
46.6 × 34.6 cm (18 3/8 × 13 5/8 in.)
Classification
paper
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
205208
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Thoma was not only a painter and printmaker, but also a museum director. This large working drawing (a modello) was squared for transfer for a painting that has yet to be found and was independently prized for its delicacy and refined mood. The same year that Thoma drew this sheet it was selected for a special facsimile reproduction by a Berlin printer.
About the Artist
Hans Thoma · 1839–1924
Hans Thoma (1839-1924) was a distinguished German painter often celebrated as the "Painter of the Black Forest" for his deep connection to the landscapes and folklore of his native region in southwestern Germany. Born to a miller's family in the Black Forest village of Bernau, Thoma rose from humble origins to become one of Germany's most respected artists and eventually director of the prestigiou...