BALDASSARE FRANCESCHINI, CALLED IL VOLTERRANO | Recto: Studies of a hand holding a staff, two studies of the head of a young man and a woman in profileVerso: Studies of a young boy, with subsidiary studies of two hands

This double sided sheet of studies is typical of Volterrano's working method.  The artist made countless series of drawings in preparation for his works; these range from compositional sketches, rapidly laid down, through studies of single figures, or, as here, details scattered on the sheets, to final modelli. 
We have been unable to relate these different studies to any of Volterrano's known works.  From the time of the frescoes in the courtyard of the Villa Petraia, a work commissioned in 1636 by Don Lorenzo de' Medici, the artist's graphic style remained rather consistent, and it is therefore not easy to date drawings by him that are not connected with any specific project.