Elisabetta Sirani

Giuseppe Vallardi (L.1223, his numbering in red chalk, recto and verso:  0.287);
with Alister Matthews, Bournemouth, from whom purchased, September 1958

Newcastle, 1960, no. 32

Hinged to mount at upper margin. Red chalk remains strong both recto and verso. There is a small area of white gouache on the boy's shoulder, lower left, this is possibly a studio stain or a later stain. Some light brown staining around the sheet, a slightly more noticeable stain at the right margin in the centre. A very small tear at the top of the boy's head, this area has been filled in/ made up.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Ralph Holland, in his notes, compares the style of the drawing on the verso with a sketch at Windsor, Boy Carrying a Torch.¹  Both share the same handling of chalk, applied in a very free and rapid manner.  The verso can also be compared with the Windsor drawing of the Madonna and Child, seated on clouds.²

The technique employed by Sirani on the recto is evident in her red and black chalk Self-portrait, in a private collection, Geneva, which is a study for the renowned Self-portrait of the Artist Painting her Father, now only known through an engraving.³  In both drawings, we see the same vertical placement of chalk lines to model areas on the neck and face, and the application of chalk with areas of stumping lends a similar softness to both portraits.  For a further discussion of Elisabetta Sirani and her drawings, see Babette Bohn, op. cit.

1.  O. Kurz, Bolognese Drawings of the XVII & XVIII Centuries...at Windsor Castle, London 1955, p. 133, no. 494, reproduced fig. 92
2.  Ibid., p.135, no. 503
3.  B. Bohn, 'Elisabetta Sirani and Drawing Practices in Early Modern Bologna,' Master Drawings, XLII, no. 3, 2004, p. 228, fig. 40