This seated figure of Saint Mark is a study for a painting made by the Florentine friar and artist Fra Bartolommeo for the church of San Marco, Florence. The animated twist of the pose, rendered with swift, curving pen strokes, displays his draughtsmanship at its most dynamic.

Sir Peter Lely, London (1618-1680) [according to labels on former backboard; no known catalogues of his 1688 or 1694 sales]; Donegal [? inscribed on a former support now in the file]; Count Moriz von Fries, Vienna (1777-1826), L.2903 (lower centre); Dr Joseph Benjamin Petzold, Vienna (19th century) [according to label on former backboard]; his sale, Gilhofer and Ranschburg (Vienna), 16 March 1908 and following days, lot 15 (as the Prophet Isaiah); Meslen [according to Wildenstein invoice, but identity is unknown]; Leopold Blumka (Vienna) [according to Wildenstein]; Oscar Bondy, Vienna (1870-1944) [according to Wildenstein]; Wildenstein & Co. (London), by October 1960 (when exhibited); purchased there by Count Antoine Seilern, London (1901-1978), 19 January 1961 (£720); Princes Gate Bequest 1978

Special Display - Peter Lely - The Draughtsman and his Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 24/09/2012-13/01/2013

Drawings by the Masters XVth to XIXth centuries, Wildenstein & Co., London, 05/10/1960-29/10/1960

Raffael bis Tizian: italienische Zeichnungen aus dem Städel Museum, Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main and Fondation Custodia, Collection Frits Lugt, Paris, 2014-15, 2014
pp. 67-68n9 under no. 17

Ellis, Charles S., 'Two drawings by Fra Bartolommeo' in 'Paragone', Jan.-Mar. 1990; XLI, N.S., No. 19-20
p. 13
pl. 11b (recto)

Seilern, Count Antoine, Italian paintings and drawings at 56 Princes Gate, London SW7. Addenda, London 1969; V
no. 349 and p. 48 under no. 350
pl. XXX
dated 1514 or slightly later ...More

Watermark: Watermark: none.

Label: Secondary support (removed, in object file), Verso: white label, printed in black with last number added in blue ballpoint: “M 400/3”. Mount backboard (removed, now in object file): upper centre, written in brown ink: “Biaccio della Porta / (Fra Bartolomeo di St. Marco) / 1469-1517 / And[?] Habinet[sic]: Peter Lelly.” and added in graphite, faded and hard to read: “Original skizze zum […] Bild / in Palazzo Pitti”; centre, typewritten: “Fra[here an “n” crossed out] Bartolommeo (Baccio della Porta) 1475-1517. / Federzeichnung darstellend einen Apostel, in einer / Nische / sitzend mit Gesetzestafel. Originalskizze zu einem Bild im / Palazzo Pitti, Florenz, dessen Photo beiliegt. / Dimensionen: 17 x 11 ½ cm / Stammt aus dem Cabinett Peter Lely’s. / Vorbes: Slg Petzold, Wien.”; lower centre, written in black ink: “Fra Bartolomeo di S. Marco, […] Porta, Baccio della, geb. zu Savignano 1469. gest. zu florenz 1517.” And added in graphite: “No. 48 / Cab. P Lelly / 15”.

Stamp: Mount backboard (removed, now in object file), Verso: lower centre, black ink: smudged so some illegible but reads around circle "DOUANE FRANÇAISES" and in the centre "[...] / 4".

Collector's mark: Recto: lower centre edge, blindstamped: Count Moriz von Fries (L.2903).

Inscription: Recto: lower centre (within drawing), brown ink, smudged and difficult to read: "St mark [...] / fair grazie [...] / mark [...]". Verso (backing sheet): lower right corner, graphite: “1”. Former support (removed, now in object file), Verso: upper left, graphite, mostly rubbed away: “B[…]”; lower left, brown ink, partly obscured: “Donegal D73 […]”; lower right edge, graphite: “10”. Secondary support (removed, now in object file), Recto: lower left, graphite: “£80 / Hu/H/N”. Secondary support (removed, now in object file), Verso: left centre, graphite, underlined: “1 1.81”; centre, graphite, circled: “1”. Mount cover (removed, now in object file), Verso: lower left, graphite: “No 6414”; lower centre, graphite: “Wildenstein”. Inner mount cover (removed, now in object file), Recto: lower right, black ink: “Fra Bartolomeo”; lower left, brown ink: “3H.”; lower centre, graphite: “15”. Mount backboard (removed, now in object file), Verso: upper left, black ink: “17440”; upper right, white chalk, circled: “Y”; upper left, white chalk: “PO”; lower right, white chalk, mostly rubbed away: “2[…]”.