Sketch of Clara, the Dutch rhinoceros in Augsburg in 1748 by Johann Elias Ridinger (1698-1767)
Drawing of rhinoceros, black chalk on blue paper, of rhinoceros. The Rhinoceros “Miss Clara”, drawn by J.E. Ridinger in 1748. black chalk on blue laid paper, 28.6 x 43.8 cm.
In 1958 Karl & Faber at Munich sell the rich Ridinger collection of the Counts of Faber-Castell. Included that 95-sheet corpus of drawings including three of a rhinoceros. One sold at Sotheby’s in 1991 (Thienemann 295) for £ 20.000. Now in the Ratjen Foundation Vaduz.
Example:
National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, Wolfgang Ratjen Collection, Patrons’ Permanent Fund, 2007.111.29.
https://www.nga.gov/artworks/139132-rhinoceros-miss-clara
Literature:
Catalogue Sotheby’s, Amsterdam, 1 July 1990, Lot 30
Text also in Clarke 1986: 182, note to colour-plate VI – illustrated pl. VI from Private collection, London
Clarke 1984, fig. 33 Ridinger
Van der Ham 2022, fig. 42
German text on drawing
[Signed and dated in brown ink bottom right with inscription:]
Anno 1748 den 12 Junii habe ich disen Rhinoceros allhier in Augspurg nach dem Leben gezeichnet. Seine Grösse war in der höhe 6. Schu die Länge 12. Schu, von Farbe ist er meist Castanien braun, unten am bauch und in der tieffe, seiner falten Lieb od Fliesch farbe gewesen. J.El. Ridinger hatt ihn von 6. Seiten gezeichnet.
[Translate: On June 12, 1748, I drew this rhinoceros from life here in Augsburg. Its size was 6 feet high and 12 feet long. Its color was mostly chestnut brown, with the lower part of its belly and the depths of its folds a shade of flesh. J. El. Ridinger drew it from six sides.]
