This figure study, a preparatory sketch for Correggio’s fresco ‘The Coronation of the Virgin,’ shows the figure of Christ seated on a cloud and surrounded by putti. The original fresco, painted in 1522 for the apse of the church of San Giovanni Evangelista, Parma, was largely destroyed in 1587 but the painted figure of Christ survives, now preserved in the Galleria Nazionale, Parma. A comparison between this drawing and the final fresco shows numerous changes in the composition: for example, the sceptre that Christ holds aloft in the sketch is shown resting on his shoulder in the final work, with his left arm lowered into his lap. These modifications suggest that the sketch was produced early in the creative process as Correggio considered different variations of the composition. The grid imposed over the figure would have been used to help the artist accurately transfer the design to another sheet.

Jonathan Richardson, the elder, London (1665-1745), L.2184, L.2995 and L.2983; George John, 2nd Earl Spencer (1758-1834), L.1532; Lord David Cecil (1902-1986); his sale, Sotheby's (London), 1 July 1965, lot 154; purchased there via Colnaghi by Count Antoine Seilern, London (1901-1978) (£3,675); Princes Gate Bequest 1978

Correggio and Parmigianino: master draughtsmen of the Renaissance, British Museum, London, 06/10/2000-07/01/2001

Mantegna to Cezanne - Master Drawings from the Courtauld, British Museum, London, 24/02/1983-19/06/1983

Correggio and Parmigianino: master draughtsmen of the Renaissance, British Museum, London; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2000-2001, 2000-01
cat. no. 9
no. 9 and p. 41 under no. 10
ill. on p. 40

di Giampaolo, Mario and Andrea Muzzi, Correggio: i disegni, Turin 1988
no. 33

Mantegna to Cezanne: Master Drawings from the Courtauld, British Museum, London, 1983
no. 23, p. 20
ill. on p. 33 ...More

Watermark: Watermarks: drawing sheet, centre: seven-petalled flower with pistil (matches Piccard 126636 – Milan 1523). Richardson’s mount: lower centre: mark of Seven Provinces – crowned double-bordered circle with lion rampant holding sword and bunch of arrows.

Inscription: Mount (Richardson’s), Recto: lower centre margin, red ink, Richardson the elder’s hand (L.2995): “Coreggio”. Mount (Richardson’s), Verso: upper left corner, graphite, slightly disturbed: “5 N[...] L61”; upper right corner, graphite, slightly obscured by tape and unclear: “15 t / Lt 3[2?]1”; upper centre, brown ink, Richardson’s shelf numbers (L.2983), crossed through in brown ink: “D. 34 / Z. 40 / E.” and written beside them in lighter brown ink: “C / No. 13”; lower left corner, brown ink: “No. 1364.”; lower right corner, graphite: “ad/”.

Collector's mark: Recto: lower left corner, stamped in black: John Spencer (L.1532); lower right corner, stamped in black: Jonathan Richardson, the elder (L.2184). Mount (Richardson’s), Recto: lower centre, written in red: Jonathan Richardson, the elder (L.2995). Mount (Richardson’s), Verso: upper centre, written in brown: Jonathan Richardson, the elder (L.2983).