Study of three nude figures (recto)
Maker
(artist)
1503-1540
1503-1540
Title
Study of three nude figures (recto)
Date of Production
probably 1520s
Medium
red chalk, pen and light brown ink (recto), pen and grey-brown ink and brown wash (verso) on laid paper
Dimensions
Height: 12.1 cm
Width: 7.1 cm
Width: 7.1 cm
Accession Number
D.1978.PG.93
Mode of Acquisition
Count Antoine Seilern, bequest, 1978
Credit
The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)
Copyright
Work in the public domain
Location
Not currently on display
Keywords
Label Text
This study is loosely related to Parmigianino’s fresco representing the soldier-saint Vitalis in the church of San Giovanni Evangelista in Parma. When the sheet is turned upside down, the red chalk marks in the upper right corner, long considered just a doodle, appear to be a study for the figure of the saint. He is shown wearing a helmet and holding a shield in his outstretched left hand. The many inscriptions, both in Latin and Italian, bear no relation to the image.
Provenance
Richard Dalton, England (c. 1715-1791) [according to Gnann - L.782 is not present]; possibly his estate sale, Christie's (London), 11-18 May 1791, any one of three lots mentioning Parmigianino (day 5, lots 73-76; day 7, lot 27, or lot 99); R.P. Morris; his sale, Sotheby's (London), 27 November 1957, part of lot 34, together with D.1978.PG.94; purchased there by Baron Martin von Koblitz, probably on behalf of Colnaghi (London), as purchased there the same day by Count Antoine Seilern, London (1901-1978) (£150 for both); Princes Gate Bequest 1978
Exhibition History
Drawings Gallery Display - The Art of Experiment: Parmigianino at The Courtauld, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 03/05/2022-06/05/2022
Parmigianino - Paintings, Drawings, Prints, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 14/05/1987-12/07/1987
Parmigianino - Paintings, Drawings, Prints, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 14/05/1987-12/07/1987
Literature
The Art of Experiment: Parmigianino at The Courtauld, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 2022
cat. no. 3
and on p. 20
ill. on p. 51 (recto and verso), detail of recto on p. 48, detail of recto is fig. 78 on p. 170, reconstruction using recto is fig. 81 on p. 171, reconstruction using verso is fig. 82 on p. 171, watermark is fig. 96 on p. 176
Turner, James Grantham, Eros Visible: Art, Sexuality and Antiquity in Renaissance Italy, New Haven and London: Yale University Press 2017
p. 107
fig. 2.15 on p. 107 (recto only)
dated c. 1525?
Parmigianino: dessins du Louvre, Musée du Louvre, Paris, 17 December 2015-15 February 2016 Paris 2015
p. 17n50 ...More
Gnann, Achim, Parmigianino: Die Zeichnungen, Petersberg 2007
vol. I, pp. 10-11, 41-42 and vol. II, no. 35
ill. (recto and verso)
Béguin,Sylvie, Mario Di Giampaolo and Mary Vaccaro, Parmigianino: the drawings, Turin 2000
p. 207 under no. 100
Ekserdjian, David, 'Unpublished drawings by Parmigianino: towards a supplement to Popham's catalogue raisonné' in 'Apollo', 1 Aug. 1999 - pp. 3-41; 150, 450
p. 17 under no. 26
Parmigianino - Paintings, Drawings, Prints, Courtauld, London, 1987
cat. no. 3
ill. on p. 5
Popham, A. E., Catalogue of the Drawings of Parmigianino, New Haven and London 1971
no. 761
pl. 91 (recto and verso)
dated before his departure for Rome
Seilern, Count Antoine, Italian paintings and drawings at 56 Princes Gate, London, SW7, London 1959; II
no. 93
pl. LI
dated c. 1521
Sotheby's, London, 27 November 1957, Old master drawings and paintings ...Less
cat. no. 3
and on p. 20
ill. on p. 51 (recto and verso), detail of recto on p. 48, detail of recto is fig. 78 on p. 170, reconstruction using recto is fig. 81 on p. 171, reconstruction using verso is fig. 82 on p. 171, watermark is fig. 96 on p. 176
Turner, James Grantham, Eros Visible: Art, Sexuality and Antiquity in Renaissance Italy, New Haven and London: Yale University Press 2017
p. 107
fig. 2.15 on p. 107 (recto only)
dated c. 1525?
Parmigianino: dessins du Louvre, Musée du Louvre, Paris, 17 December 2015-15 February 2016 Paris 2015
p. 17n50 ...More
Gnann, Achim, Parmigianino: Die Zeichnungen, Petersberg 2007
vol. I, pp. 10-11, 41-42 and vol. II, no. 35
ill. (recto and verso)
Béguin,Sylvie, Mario Di Giampaolo and Mary Vaccaro, Parmigianino: the drawings, Turin 2000
p. 207 under no. 100
Ekserdjian, David, 'Unpublished drawings by Parmigianino: towards a supplement to Popham's catalogue raisonné' in 'Apollo', 1 Aug. 1999 - pp. 3-41; 150, 450
p. 17 under no. 26
Parmigianino - Paintings, Drawings, Prints, Courtauld, London, 1987
cat. no. 3
ill. on p. 5
Popham, A. E., Catalogue of the Drawings of Parmigianino, New Haven and London 1971
no. 761
pl. 91 (recto and verso)
dated before his departure for Rome
Seilern, Count Antoine, Italian paintings and drawings at 56 Princes Gate, London, SW7, London 1959; II
no. 93
pl. LI
dated c. 1521
Sotheby's, London, 27 November 1957, Old master drawings and paintings ...Less
Inscriptions
Watermark: Watermark: centre: a dragon or basilisk? See tracing in file. 83 mm long. Unable to measure width as irregularly shaped, and unable to see chain lines clearly enough to measure distance between them. No matches on Piccard, as our figure is laid out horizontally while parallel to the chain lines. Also no match found in Briquet.
Collector's mark: none.
Inscription: Recto: all brown ink, artist's hand, often across the drawing: upper left, faded: "[...]el ano"; upper centre, brown ink: "tene" [?]; right centre edge: "preso qb / potes / quando madona fuit / [...] / 38 83pi"; lower centre accompanying sketch of a coat of arms: "nfi / f b b posin" [?]. See UV photos.
Collector's mark: none.
Inscription: Recto: all brown ink, artist's hand, often across the drawing: upper left, faded: "[...]el ano"; upper centre, brown ink: "tene" [?]; right centre edge: "preso qb / potes / quando madona fuit / [...] / 38 83pi"; lower centre accompanying sketch of a coat of arms: "nfi / f b b posin" [?]. See UV photos.
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