Aureliano Milani

With Yvonne Tan Bunzl, London; acquired in 1984

London, Yvonne Tan Bunzl, Old Master Drawings, 1984, no. 37;
Gainesville, et al., 1991-93, no. 25 

 

Mimi Cazort and Catherine Johnston, Bolognese Drawings in North American Collections, exhibition catalogue, Ottawa, National Gallery of Canada, 1982, p. 130, under no. 91

Condition is fine. Some slight discoloration along right edge. Some foxing visible on verso. Also one mark at the upper right which seems to have been repaired.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This is a study for the altarpiece painted by Milani for S. Maria della Purificazione, Bologna (circa 1718; destroyed). Except for some small differences in the number of figures and in details of the landscape, the present drawing closely resembles the final composition. The Horvitz sheet, with its typically muscular, energetic nudes, is utterly characteristic of Milani's draughtsmanship, which was much admired by his contemporaries. The present study can be compared with a number of others, such as the Samson Slaying the Philistines, now in the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa (see Literature).