Ludwig van Beethoven, Skizzenblatt zu "Christus am Ölberge" op. 85, Autograph

Unclear provenance

The proof of ownership at the bottom of the reverse of the sketch leaf shows that before 1832 it was in the possession of the Countess Caliste Rzewuska ("Beethovens Original-Manusscript schenkte mir Calliste Rzewuska am 29. Februar 1832." - "Calliste Rzewuska gave me Beethoven's original manuscript on 29 February 1832."). The same applies to leaf HCB Mh 69, which also has sketches for op. 85. How the Countess came to be in possession of these leaves so soon after Beethoven's death is not at all clear. Especially as both single leaves came from a bound sketchbook - the so-called Wielhorsky Sketchbook, now in the Glinka Museum in Moscow - and had obviously been removed from it. The Countess might have even owned the complete sketchbook, although we cannot even say this with any great certainty. The leaf shown here came from the book's penultimate gathering. The gathering was removed completely and separated. Both of the middle leaves (a bifolium) are now in Italy in the Biblioteca Estense in Modena. The first leaf of the gathering has disappeared. On the front of HCB Mh 70 there are a great many ink blots which have left impressions on the reverse of the second Modena leaf. The connection and sequence can therefore be proved with absolute certainty. (J.R.)