Black leather spine with floral and leaf tooled design at its edge. Brown leather coverboards. Leather pen holder on top edge. Off-white paper. Collocation: 1(4) [missing 4,5?, 7, 8], 2(6) [missing 2 and 7?], 3(8), 4(7) [missing 5]. Twenty-three ff., endpaper's also used. Front endpaper: partially attached to inside front coverboard, upper left, within a drawn square, a sketch of a group of people within an architectural setting. Centre left, within a drawn square, sketch of a group of people, several with arms raised within an architectural setting. Centre right, within a drawn square extended at the right top, sketch of Cupid upon a lion [study for the central group of 'Masque of Cupid'. Superimposed over the lower right corner of the square is an undefined line drawing. Lower centre. sketch of a figure reclining on a bed (?), perhaps a study for 'Masque of Cupid'. Rear endpaper: partially attached to inside to rear coverboard, studies of columns, column bases, and designs on columns. 1085.f.1; Sketch of a floral motif for a border 1085.f.2; Sketches for two medallions: left, two heads above a sprawled figure (incomplete); right, Hero and Leander - figure of a woman, with long flowing hair, hovering over a figure floating in water, the background is a brick wall (surrounding this medallion is the beginning of a floral border) 1085.f.3; Upper left, sketch of a kneeling figure, with bow and arrow, atop a column; upper right, sketch of a seated figure (superimposed over the torso are two discs); lower left, sketch of a standing figure, arms upraised, on top of a column capital; lower right, sketch of a standing figure, head thrust back, arms upraised 1085.f.4; Left, sketch of a standing figure, within a drawn rectangle with two crossed out heads above the final figure; right, sketch of a winged man (Love?) bound to a tree 1085.f.5; Above, sketch of eight figures entwined by an enveloping vine; below, sketch of the vine 1085.f.6; Left, sketch of trees and study of a branch of leaves; right, landscape with a variety of trees 1085.f.7; Two sketches of groups of trees, few with leaves 1085.f.8; Upper left, single figure on left, group of three figures on right; upper centre, sketch of a single figure leaning on a tree stump (?); upper right, sketch of a single figure seated before a flaming candle (?), two figures behind; lower left, sketch for 'Merlin and Vivien'; lower centre, sketch for 'Merlin and Vivien'; lower right, pasted to leaf, sketch of a young girl 1085.f.9; Sketch of a group of figures standing among trees, with a ship in background; upper right, series of lines and 'u's 1085.f.10; Upper left, sketch of a figure on a high stool within a ragged doorway; upper right, 'Cumaean Sibyl', sketch of a figure at a doorway, leaves scattered at feet; bottom, sketch of the Cumaean Sibyl, crossed out 1085.f.11; Within drawn rectangles, a group of individual sketches of Solomon, the fleeing Absolom, and Absolom with his hair caught by the branch of a tree 1085.f.12; Top left, sketch of a figure seated at a window; behind him, a winged figure seen from the front; top right, sketch of a figure seated at a window; at his left, on a pedestal is a winged figure with a bow; lower right, sketch of a seated figure, surrounded by columns (?) 1085.f.13; Three sketches of a single winged figure, arms outstretched, feet in a running position, within an architectural setting; to right of figures are sketches of legs, left and right arms of the figure 1085.f.14; Left, sketch of seated figure with a book and pen, within drawn rectangle; left of centre, sketch of a heavily robed figure with an open book, within drawn rectangle; right of centre, seated figure with open book; right, sketch of a standing figure writing on a tablet 1085.f.15; Sketch of a large group of figures, in a woodland setting spaced around a large fountain with a figure on top of a column in the centre 1085.f.16; Upper left and right of centre, two sketches within drawn rectangles, for 'The Garden of Pan'; upper right, study of the twin pipe flut of Pan, placed at his lips; lower left, figure seated in the foreground holding a mirror (?) behind is a standing figure, within drawn rectangle; lower right of centre, sketch for 'The Annunciation' within drawn rectangle; lower right, sketch for 'Love in Ruins' within a drawn rectangle 1085.f.17; Upper left, standing single figure within drawn rectangle; upper left of centre, standing single figure; upper right of centre, standing single figure with scroll superimposed, within drawn rectangle; upper right of centre, study for 'King Cophetua and the Beggar Maid'; upper right, above, sketch of musicians (?); centre right, (?) design for stage curtain and a (?) fruit on a pedestal; lower left of centre, and lower right of centre, two studies for 'King Cophetua and the Beggar Maid' within drawn rectangles; lower right, sketch of a female head, in profile to right; lower right, sketch of part of a building 1085.f.18; Group of sketches for 'The Fountain of Youth' (continued from f.17 verso) 1085.f.19; Left, sketch of a figure with one foot on a rock, the other foot on the ground, holding a round object (?head) behind another figure, with a winged horse behind; right, another design for the same subject 1085.f.20; Sketch of a group of figures surrounding two figures in a cart, set within a mountainous landscape (continued from f.19 verso) 1085.f.21; Sketches for the Perseus series (see description) 1085.f.22; Two sketches of Perseus stealing the eye of the Greiae; single sketch of the figure of Perseus from the above design 1085.f.23; Study of an archway and pavement (?) with floral design
1085.f.1; Sketch of a floral motif for a border 1085.f.2; Sketches for two medallions: left, two heads above a sprawled figure (incomplete); right, Hero and Leander - figure of a woman, with long flowing hair, hovering over a figure floating in water, the background is a brick wall (surrounding this medallion is the beginning of a floral border) 1085.f.3; Upper left, sketch of a kneeling figure, with bow and arrow, atop a column; upper right, sketch of a seated figure (superimposed over the torso are two discs); lower left, sketch of a standing figure, arms upraised, on top of a column capital; lower right, sketch of a standing figure, head thrust back, arms upraised 1085.f.4; Left, sketch of a standing figure, within a drawn rectangle with two crossed out heads above the final figure; right, sketch of a winged man (Love?) bound to a tree 1085.f.5; Above, sketch of eight figures entwined by an enveloping vine; below, sketch of the vine 1085.f.6; Left, sketch of trees and study of a branch of leaves; right, landscape with a variety of trees 1085.f.7; Two sketches of groups of trees, few with leaves 1085.f.8; Upper left, single figure on left, group of three figures on right; upper centre, sketch of a single figure leaning on a tree stump (?); upper right, sketch of a single figure seated before a flaming candle (?), two figures behind; lower left, sketch for 'Merlin and Vivien'; lower centre, sketch for 'Merlin and Vivien'; lower right, pasted to leaf, sketch of a young girl 1085.f.9; Sketch of a group of figures standing among trees, with a ship in background; upper right, series of lines and 'u's 1085.f.10; Upper left, sketch of a figure on a high stool within a ragged doorway; upper right, 'Cumaean Sibyl', sketch of a figure at a doorway, leaves scattered at feet; bottom, sketch of the Cumaean Sibyl, crossed out 1085.f.11; Within drawn rectangles, a group of individual sketches of Solomon, the fleeing Absolom, and Absolom with his hair caught by the branch of a tree 1085.f.12; Top left, sketch of a figure seated at a window; behind him, a winged figure seen from the front; top right, sketch of a figure seated at a window; at his left, on a pedestal is a winged figure with a bow; lower right, sketch of a seated figure, surrounded by columns (?) 1085.f.13; Three sketches of a single winged figure, arms outstretched, feet in a running position, within an architectural setting; to right of figures are sketches of legs, left and right arms of the figure 1085.f.14; Left, sketch of seated figure with a book and pen, within drawn rectangle; left of centre, sketch of a heavily robed figure with an open book, within drawn rectangle; right of centre, seated figure with open book; right, sketch of a standing figure writing on a tablet 1085.f.15; Sketch of a large group of figures, in a woodland setting spaced around a large fountain with a figure on top of a column in the centre 1085.f.16; Upper left and right of centre, two sketches within drawn rectangles, for 'The Garden of Pan'; upper right, study of the twin pipe flut of Pan, placed at his lips; lower left, figure seated in the foreground holding a mirror (?) behind is a standing figure, within drawn rectangle; lower right of centre, sketch for 'The Annunciation' within drawn rectangle; lower right, sketch for 'Love in Ruins' within a drawn rectangle 1085.f.17; Upper left, standing single figure within drawn rectangle; upper left of centre, standing single figure; upper right of centre, standing single figure with scroll superimposed, within drawn rectangle; upper right of centre, study for 'King Cophetua and the Beggar Maid'; upper right, above, sketch of musicians (?); centre right, (?) design for stage curtain and a (?) fruit on a pedestal; lower left of centre, and lower right of centre, two studies for 'King Cophetua and the Beggar Maid' within drawn rectangles; lower right, sketch of a female head, in profile to right; lower right, sketch of part of a building 1085.f.18; Group of sketches for 'The Fountain of Youth' (continued from f.17 verso) 1085.f.19; Left, sketch of a figure with one foot on a rock, the other foot on the ground, holding a round object (?head) behind another figure, with a winged horse behind; right, another design for the same subject 1085.f.20; Sketch of a group of figures surrounding two figures in a cart, set within a mountainous landscape (continued from f.19 verso) 1085.f.21; Sketches for the Perseus series (see description) 1085.f.22; Two sketches of Perseus stealing the eye of the Greiae; single sketch of the figure of Perseus from the above design 1085.f.23; Study of an archway and pavement (?) with floral design Black leather spine with floral and leaf tooled design at its edge. Brown leather coverboards. Leather pen holder on top edge. Off-white paper. Collocation: 1(4) [missing 4,5?, 7, 8], 2(6) [missing 2 and 7?], 3(8), 4(7) [missing 5]. Twenty-three ff., endpaper's also used. Front endpaper: partially attached to inside front coverboard, upper left, within a drawn square, a sketch of a group of people within an architectural setting. Centre left, within a drawn square, sketch of a group of people, several with arms raised within an architectural setting. Centre right, within a drawn square extended at the right top, sketch of Cupid upon a lion [study for the central group of 'Masque of Cupid'. Superimposed over the lower right corner of the square is an undefined line drawing. Lower centre. sketch of a figure reclining on a bed (?), perhaps a study for 'Masque of Cupid'. Rear endpaper: partially attached to inside to rear coverboard, studies of columns, column bases, and designs on columns. Dimension(s): height, coverboard, 267, mm width, coverboard, 372, mm depth, coverboard, 20, mm height, sheet size, 255, mm width, sheet size, 362, mm Inscription(s): ; front endpaper; newspaper clipping, pasted down; advertisement for Charles Keene's studio easels ; lower left; graphite; Mme Vivet / 58 Walham Grove / Fulham: ; rear endpaper; newspaper clipping, pasted down; opinion of the Press... 1863; advertisement for studio easels.
This sketchbook contains eary ideas for a number of important works, including King Cophetua. The others all date from the 1870s and Duncan Robinson is surely right in arguing that the Cophetua sketches were made about 1875. Bell implies that the composition was not evolved until 1880.