REVIEW: Harald Froschauer (ed.), Zeichnungen und Malereien aus den Papyrussammlungen in Berlin und Wien

Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2009.08.56
Harald Froschauer (ed.), Zeichnungen und Malereien aus den Papyrussammlungen in Berlin und Wien. Papyrussammlung der Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek (Papyrus Erzherzog Rainer). Neue Serie XXI. Folge (MPER) XXXI. Berlin/New York: Walter de Gruyter, 2009. Pp. xvi, 121. ISBN 9783110207392. $112.00.

Reviewed by Eric M. Moormann, Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen (e.moormann@let.ru.nl)
Word count: 1836 words

The hot debate that is going on in Italy about the status of the Turin Papyrus named after the author of a text fragment by Artemidorus (P. Artemid.) as a genuine document or a forgery has not yet come to an end that satisfies the scholarly world. Outside Italy, however, more scholars than not seem to accept the extraordinary document, containing part of the Geographoumena by Artemidorus, including an uncompleted map and drawings of animals and of human figures as genuine. In any case, the lavish publications of the last couple of years have apparently kindled an interest for illustration of papyrus material. The book under review is an excellent example of this attention and, although the scraps of papyrus and parchment -- from 3 x 4 to 17 x 23 cm in size --rarely contain drawings of the same quality as the human heads on the recto of P. Artemid., they are worth being presented as examples of ancient drawing

etc at BMCR

Blurb from De Gruyter:

Zeichnungen und Malereien aus den Papyrussammlungen in Berlin und Wien
[Drawings and Paintings on Papyrus and Parchment from the Papyrus Collections in Berlin and Vienna]
2008. 29.5 x 21 cm. XVI, 121 pages. 30 fig. 24 S. Tafelbeilage. Hardcover. Euro [D] 79.95 / for USA, Canada, Mexico US$ 112.00. *
ISBN 978-3-11-020739-2 Series: Mitteilungen aus der Papyrussammlung der Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek (Papyrus Erzherzog Rainer). Neue Serie (MPER) XXXI
Languages: German
Type of Publication: Monograph
About this Title
This volume presents an edition of twenty-six drawings on papyrus and parchment from the holdings of the papyrus collections in Berlin and Vienna. Starting from previously published material of illuminated papyri, parchments and papers, this study is intended as a contribution to the discussion about the use of sketches and models in the visual arts. The actual edition catalogue of the twenty-six drawings is prefaced by an introduction reflecting on the definition of the terms "sketch" and "model" and commenting on the term "pattern book".