Daniele Crespi Busto Arsizio circa 1597 - 1630 Milan

The present work would appear to be a bozzetto or ricordo of the Baptism by Crespi in the Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan (see N.W. Neilson, Daniele Crespi, Soncino 1996, p. 37. cat. no. 20, reproduced plate XXVIII).   The Brera altarpiece was commissioned for the Bonfanti chapel in Santa Maria della Grazie, Monza where it remained until 1810.  Most recent scholarship has dated it to late in the artist’s career, between 1628-30 (see Neilson op. cit.) and a similar date for the present painting seem reasonable.