Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola, called Parmigianino

Sir Peter Lely (L.2092);
Jonathan Richardson, Senr (L.2184), on his mount with his attribution in pen and ink: Parmegiano and with his shelf marks on the reverse: E15 / C 24 / 22. / CC.18./k;
Thomas Hudson (L.2432);
Sir Joshua Reynolds (L.2364);
Jacques Fryszman, Boulogne-Billancourt (bears his drystamp, lower right, JF in monogram, not in Lugt);
Private collection

D. Ekserdjian, 'Unpublished Drawings by Parmigianino: Towards a supplement to Popham's catalogue raisonné', Apollo, August 1999, p. 12, no. 17, reproduced fig. 22;
Mario Di Giampaolo,'Un nuovo 'San Girolamo' del Parmigianino', Prospettiva, no. 95-96, 1999, p. 172, under note 1 (as not by Parmigianino);
D. Ekserdjian, 'Parmigianino and Michelangelo', in Reactions to the Master. Michelangelo's effect on art and artists in the sixteenth century, Aldershot 2003, p. 60;
A. Gnann, Parmigianino, Die Zeichnungen, Petersberg 2007, vol. I, p. 436, no. 542, reproduced vol. II, p. 427

Laid down on the old Jonathan Richardson mount. Top corners cut. Paper slightly darkened, a small grey stain to the left corner. Some damage in the lower right corner where the collector's stamps are. Surface dirt and slight soiling, especially at the left margin and corner.
"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."

When he first published this drawing as Parmigianino, David Ekserdjian noted that although the influence of Michelangelo's Sistine chapel might seem to suggest that the drawing dated from the artist's Roman period, Parmigianino was surely already acquainted with the famous ceiling when still in Parma, before he left for Rome in 1524.  Ekserdjian suggested that in fact, Parmigianino's main source here was probably Correggio¹, remarking that the handling of the red chalk is comparable to several of Parmigianino’s early copies after Correggio, for instance the double-sided sheet of copies after the San Giovanni Evangelista frescoes, in the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin.²   He also stressed similarities, in the rendering of the anatomy, with a drawing at Chatsworth, dated by Popham to the artist's early years in Parma, yet also showing the strong influence of the figures of the apostles in Correggio's cupola decorations in San Giovanni Evangelista.³
Achim Gnann (see Literature) has instead proposed a later dating for the present drawing, suggesting that it was executed around 1526-27, during Parmigianino's Roman period.  He pointed out close similarities with the handling in Parmigianino’s pen and ink study of two figures in the British Museum.⁴  That drawing is related to the invalid being taken off a horse, to the left in a compositional drawing of Christ Healing the sick, in the Musée de Pincé, Angers.⁵

¹ See also Ekserdjian, op. cit., 2003, p. 55
² Inv. no. 2064; A.E. Popham, Drawings of Parmigianino, New Haven and London 1971, vol. I, p. 63, no. 64, reproduced vol. II, pl. 9 (recto and verso)
³ Inv. no. 444; ibid., vol. I, p. 206, no. 697, vol. II, reproduced pl. 55
⁴ Inv. no. 1905-11-10-19; Gnann, op. cit., vol. I, p. 436, no. 541, reproduced vol. II, p. 426
⁵ Inv. no. 5045; Gnann, op. cit., vol. I, p. 435, no. 535, reproduced vol. II, p. 423