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The Golden Age
William Ettycirca 1835-circa 1840
Art Gallery of New South Wales
Sydney, Australia
Etty devoted his career largely to painting the nude, both in a very numerous series of life studies and in such finished classical subjects as this. He was inspired by 16th-century Venetian artists, such as Titian and Veronese, and particularly by the 17th-century Flemish master, Rubens. He was constantly criticised in the press for what was perceived as the indecency of his works. He referred to his critics as ‘noodles’.
Details
- Title: The Golden Age
- Creator: William Etty
- Date Created: circa 1835-circa 1840
- Physical Dimensions: 119.0 x 133.0 cm stretcher; 150.2 x 164.0 x 8.0 cm frame
- Provenance: Charles Birch, pre 27 Feb 1856, England, Metchley Abbey, Harborne. Sold by Foster & Son, London 27-28 February 1856, lot iiv. Dennis Farr (letter 28 January 1969) believes Birch either commissioned the work or bought it from the studio. William Wethered, 27 Feb 1856?-27 Feb 1858, London/England, [dealer] King's Lynn, Norfolk and by 1849 London. His sale Christies London, 27 February 1858, lot 62 Colls, 27 Feb 1858-09 Mar 1867, England, [dealer?] Purchased at William Wethered sale Christie's London, 27 February 1858, lot 62, £49.7.0. Sold Christie's London, 9 March 1867, lot no. 128, purchased Holmes. Holmes, post 09 Mar 1867, England, Purchased Christie's London, 9 March 1867, lot no. 128, £504 J. Dyson Perrins, post 1878?, England, probably bought in 1878 at the Suffolk St Gallery exhibition, remaining in his family until sold by the executors of C.W. Dyson Perrins at Sotheby's 22 April 1959 C.W. Dyson Perrins, pre 22 Apr 1959, England, by descent, sold by the executors of C.W. Dyson Perrins at Sotheby's, 22 April 1959. Roland, Browse and Delbanco, 22 Apr 1959-Jun 1968, London/England, Purchased by the AGNSW from Roland, Browse and Delbanco 1968. Purchased by Roland, Browse and Delbanco from Sotheby's London, 22 April 1959
- Type: Painting
- Rights: Purchased under the terms of the Florence Turner Blake Bequest 1968
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Signature & Date: Not signed. Not dated.
- Artist Country: England
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