Lot 58
  • 58

Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, called Guercino

Estimate
10,000 - 15,000 USD
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Description

  • Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, called Guercino
  • Recto: the holy familyverso: an angel
  • Pen and brown ink (recto and verso);
    bears number: no. 24 and inscription: Guli 3 (verso);
    both sides within brown ink framing lines, by a later hand

Provenance

Rudolph Joseph, London;
Adolphe Stein, London, Master Drawings, July 1973, no. 34, reproduced pl. 27

Literature

N. Turner and C. Plazzotta, Drawings by Guercino from British Collections, exhib. cat., London, British Museum, 1991, p. 40, under no. 8

Condition

A bit of staining at corners, some light foxing, paper seems strong and in good condition. Hinged at top corners to mount.
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.

Catalogue Note

Nicholas Turner has identified the figure on the verso as a preparatory study for the angel holding a drapery in Guercino's altarpiece St. Peter Receiving the Keys from Christ, painted in 1618 for the Collegiata di San Biagio (the Duomo), and now in the Pinacoteca Civica, in Cento (fig. 1).  Two compositional studies for the painting are known, both with differences from the final work.
The delicate and calligraphic lines are characteristic of Guercino's early style, and reflect a close connection to Lodovico Carracci, which is also reflected in the charm and intimacy of the composition of the Holy Family which seems based on real parents observing their child, and which is not found in any of Guercino's more formal paintings of the subject.

1. Turner and Plazzotta, loc. cit.