The figures in this drawing appear to be gathering outside a temple. The trimming of the paper, however, has frustrated attempts to fully understand the subject matter. The seated man in the lower left corner suggests that this drawing may illustrate the biblical episode of Christ healing a lame man. The figures evoke those of the etching of the Entombment (G.1978.PG.36) and indicate how creatively the artist re-used similar elements for different projects.

Sir Peter Lely, London (1618-1680), L.2092 (lower right, though second letter is cut off and letter appears 2 mm taller than recorded by Lugt, so perhaps has been misidentified) [no existing catalogues of his 1688 or 1694 estate sales]; Giovanni Antonio Armano, c. 1800 (when etched by Francesco Rosaspina 'Dal Gabinetto del Sig. Gio. Antonio Armani') [see Popham 1971 - most of Armano's drawings were acquired from the heirs of the Earl of Arundel via Antonio Maria Zanetti and Giovanni Antonio Armano, but Lely's mark precludes that provenance in this case. However, it is not certain the present mark is Lely's L.2092]; Thomas Dimsdale, London (1758-1823) (according to Lawrence catalogue) [Seilern thought Dimsdale probably acquired this directly from Armano]; purchased from his estate via Samuel Woodburn (London) by Sir Thomas Lawrence, London (1769-1830), L.2445 (lower left) [purchase information from Calmann letter in file]; his fourth sale, London, January 1836, lot 30; Nils Barck, Paris and Madrid (1820-1896), L.1959 (lower left); Nicolas-Henri-Gustave Mailand (1810-80); his sale, Hotel Drouot (Paris), 4 - 19 April 1881, lot 120 (described as 'Apostles standing at the entrance to a temple'); purchased there by Emile Calando, Paris (1840-1898), L.837 (lower right and on verso; his inv. no. 2235 in his son's hand on verso); by descent to his son, Emile Calando (1872-1953) until 1949; Rene-Claude Catroux, Paris (1874-1964) until possibly 1952; Hans M. Calmann (London); purchased from him by Mr and Mrs Elliot Hodgkin, London, by November 1953 (letter in file) (£300, according to Calmann archive at Ashmolean); sold back to Hans M. Calmann (London) (£950); purchased there by Colnaghi (London), 24 June 1960; purchased there by Count Antoine Seilern, London (1901-1970), 22 July 1960 (£1,500); Princes Gate Bequest 1978 A similar drawing was sold in an anonymous sale, Hotel Drouot (Paris), 10 - 11 March 1882, lot 385, where it was acquired by Alfred Piat (1826-1896) for 9 francs, along with 2 other drawings. As D.1978.PG.361 remained in the Calando family between 1881 and 1949, this must have been a different drawing (provenance clarified by Denis Calando). Based on the graphite verso inscription it was also thought this possibly belonged to John Postle Heseltine, London (1843-1929), but his usual collector's mark is absent, and Seilern was unable to find it in any Heseltine collection catalogues.

Drawings Gallery Display - The Art of Experiment: Parmigianino at The Courtauld, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 03/05/2022-06/05/2022

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

Parmigianino - Paintings, Drawings, Prints, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 14/05/1987-12/07/1987 ...More

The Art of Experiment: Parmigianino at The Courtauld, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 2022
cat. no. 23
and on pp. 53, 114
ill. on p. 119, IRR is fig. 90 on p. 174

Gnann, Achim, Parmigianino: Die Zeichnungen, Petersberg 2007
cat. no. 214
vol. I, pp. 94, 107 and vol. II, no. 214
ill.
as 'Three saints or apostles with a naked man sitting in the background'

Parmigianino - Paintings, Drawings, Prints, Courtauld, London, 1987
cat. no. 15
ill. on p. 9 ...More

Watermark: Watermark: none evident, though condition of paper distorts legibility.

Collector's mark: Recto: right lower edge, stamped in black: Peter Lely (L.2092) (? is cut off by right edge so no "L" and only a hint of the full stop, and is 5 mm high rather than the 3 as recorded by Lugt); lower left corner, blindstamped: Sir Thomas Lawrence (L.2445); lower left, blindstamped: Nils Barck (L.1959); lower right corner, stamped in black: E. Calando (L.837). Verso (backing sheet): centre, stamped in black: E. Calando (L.837).

Inscription: Verso (backing sheet): upper right edge, graphite: "3"; upper centre, graphite, Emile Calando's inventory number: "2235 ÷"; upper centre, graphite: "Parmesan"; centre, graphite: "Col Sir P Lely / Col T. Dimsdale / Cat. Sir T Lawrence No. 30."; centre, graphite: "Col Nils Barck"; lower left, graphite: "Coll. P.H".