Ludovico Carracci Bologna 1555 - 1619

R. Cosway (L.628)

The attribution of this intriguing drawing to Ludovico was first made by Nicholas Turner, who connected it to the artist's fresco in the former Oratorio dei Filippini in Bologna (see A. Broggi, Ludovico Carracci, Bologna 2001, vol. I, no. 49; vol. II, fig. 117).  The fresco, which was executed around 1592-3, was formerly under a portico of the Palazzo Ercolani in via Galliera and was traditionally attributed to Ludovico.  When the house, which had become the property of the Padri Filippini, was to be demolished, they decided in 1730 to transfer the fresco to their newly-built oratory nearby.  It seems that Donato Creti was responsible for the restoration which was necessary after the detachment and transport of the fresco.  There are other drawings associated with this fresco in the Louvre (inv. nos. 7674 and 7675) and at Windsor Castle (inv. no. RL 2199), and also two compositional studies, one at Christ Church and the other in a New York  private collection (see J. Byam Shaw, Drawings by Old Masters at Christ Church, Oxford, Oxford 1976, vol. I, no. 915, reproduced vol. II, pl. 555, and ibid, vol. I, fig. 71, respectively).  The last two studies do not appear to be by Ludovico (see Broggi, op.cit., vol. I, no. 49, pp. 160-161).