In anger, the vengeful Jupiter, Roman king of the gods, hurls a thunderbolt, the power of its downward thrust graphically conveyed with short, shaky lines. With his left arm swept across his chest and garments flying up behind him, his body appear to pivot in the space as if blown by a turbulent wind. His powerfully shaded cheek and hair give him a menacing appearance.

The style of the drawing fits with a date around 1645, and the areas of dense hatching compare with penwork in other drawings dating to that time, including one of Samson and Delilah and studies for Atlas (see Getty 2005-06 and British Museum 1991 exhibition catalogues).

by descent to the artist's nephews, Benedetto Gennari (1633-1715) and Cesare Gennari (1637-1688), 1666; by descent to Cesare’s sons, Gianfrancesco Gennari (1671-1727) and Filippo Antonio Gennari (1677-1751), 1719; by descent to Gianfrancesco's son, Carlo Gennari (1716-1790); presumably Francesco Forni, Bologna (18th century) or Abbé Bonducci, Florence (18th century); presumably acquired from either of those by John Bouverie, England (ca. 1722/1723-1750), 1741 or 1745; by descent to his sister, Anne Hervey (d. 1757); by descent to her son, Christopher Hervey (d. 1786); by descent to his aunt, Elizabeth Bouverie (d. 1798); by descent to Sir Charles Middleton, later 1st Baron Barham (1726-1813); by descent to his son-in-law, Sir Gerard Noel, 2nd Baron Barham (1759-1838); by descent to his son, Charles Noel, later 1st Earl of Gainsborough (1781-1866); by descent to Charles Noel, 3rd Earl of Gainsborough (1850-1926); his sale, Christie's (London), 27 July 1922, part of lot 81 (a box containing 68 drawings by Guercino and others); purchased there by F.R. Meatyard (London) on behalf of Sir Robert Witt, London (1872-1952), L.2228b (£90 for the lot); Witt Bequest 1952

Guercino - Mind to Paper, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 22/02/2007-13/05/2007

Guercino - Mind to Paper, J Paul Getty Museum & Los Angeles & California & USA, 24/10/2006-21/01/2007

Guercino: Mind to paper, J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles; Courtauld Gallery, London, 2006-2007 Los Angeles, 2006
no. 32
Fig. p. 90

Watermark: Watermark: a circle containing a bird in profile standing on a mount; above the circle is the letter "A" (no match found in Briquet, Heawood or Piccard).

Inscription: none.

Collector's mark: Verso: lower right corner, stamped in black: Sir Robert Witt (L.2228b).