Ten Commandments, personalized to John Thomson and family, merchant of Edinburgh
On loan to The Met
This work of art is currently on loan to the museum.Although Buchinger was living in Ireland by 1723, he still frequently toured England and Scotland, where he is known to have secured loyal patrons. When he returned to London that year, he was no longer just “the German artist without hands and legs”; rather, he was “the Famous Mr. Buchinger.” This Ten Commandments, again combined with the Lord’s Prayer and the Apostles’ Creed, integrates Buchinger’s earlier versions of the subject. Beyond the signature and indication of place, Buchinger further customized this sheet by including an inscription in the cloth beneath the tablets at center that notes, “John Thomson, merchant of Edinburgh & Elizabeth Ronaldson married on the 22 April 1702 & following children,” thereby approximating one of his family trees.
Artwork Details
- Title: Ten Commandments, personalized to John Thomson and family, merchant of Edinburgh
- Artist: Matthias Buchinger (German, Ansbach 1674–1739)
- Date: 1723
- Medium: Ink on vellum
- Dimensions: Sheet: 4 3/4 in. × 6 in. (12.1 × 15.2 cm)
Framed: 9 × 10 1/4 in. (22.9 × 26 cm) - Classification: Drawings
- Credit Line: Collection of Ricky Jay
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints