Lot 44
  • 44

AURELIANO MILANI | An angel playing a trumpet

Estimate
10,000 - 15,000 GBP
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Description

  • Milani, Aureliano
  • An angel playing a trumpet
  • Black and red chalk heightened with white chalk on pinkish-brown prepared paper;bears numbering in pen and brown ink, verso:  ?69?
  • 270 by 385 mm

Exhibited

Rennes, Musée des Beaux-Arts, L'Oeil et la Passion 2, Dessins baroques Italiens dans les collections privées françaises, 2015, no. 17 (catalogue entry by Guillaume Kazerouni)

Condition

Window mounted with japan paper. Overall in good condition. A few tiny repaired tears at the upper margin. Brown staining at the right margin. Chalk remains fresh and vibrant. Sold unframed.
"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."

Catalogue Note

This lively and animated study is preparatory for the angel playing the trumpet in the upper section of Aureliano Milani's painting, Saint Jerome and the blessed Ghislieri, executed in 1718 for the church of Santa Maria della Vita in Bologna (fig. 1).  Commissioned by the powerful and prestigious Ghislieri family, the painting is among the most important works of Milani's early career. As well as demonstrating Milani's competence as a draughtsman, this highly expressive study shows his debt to the Carracci.  The choice of media, applied to prepared paper, makes this a rather painterly composition in terms of its aesthetic and highlights Milani's skill in rendering a naturalistic figure study.