Description
BACCIO BANDINELLI
Florence 1493 - 1560
TWO NUDES, ONE HOLDING A CLOTH
Pen and brown ink with partial framing lines at upper margin;
bears numbering, upper right: 22 and bears numbering, lower right on album page: 24
298 by 218 mm; 11¾ by 8⅝ in
Condition report
Laid down on album page. There are a number of losses/holes throughout. The figure on the left has a loss by his foot, knee and around his mouth. There is also a loss in the partial figure in the middle. Surface dirt. Pen and brown ink remains strong 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.
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.
Provenance
Formerly in a portfolio inscribed 'S.2' with the bookplate of Edward, Earl of Powis (Edward Clive, 1st Earl of Powis of the third creation (1754-1839),
thence by inheritance to his second son, Robert Henry Clive (1789-1854), of Oakly Park, Shropshire, M.P. for South Shropshire,
thence by descent to Robert Windsor-Clive (1824-1859) and his son Robert George, Baron Windsor (1859-1923), for whom the earldom of Plymouth was revived in 1905,
thence by descent,
sale, London, Christie's, Important Old Master Drawings including Property of The Earl of Plymouth, 1 July 1986, lot 110
Literature
R. Ward, Baccio Bandinelli as a Draughtsman, unpublished Ph. D Thesis, University of London, 1982, no. 266 (D)
Catalogue note
This grand, large scale sheet by Baccio Bandinelli illustrates the artist's mastery of pen and ink. His ability to create form, through his system of crosshatching, reflect the artist’s main activity as a sculptor. Bandinelli executed a number of studies of standing male nudes and figures in movement throughout his career which makes this type of drawing difficult to date.
We are most grateful to Dr. Roger Ward who, having seen the original drawing at the time of the 1986 sale, has kindly re-confirmed the attribution on the basis of a photograph. Dr Ward remarks on the handling of the principal figure, which is so characteristic of Bandinelli's working methods, commenting on how the artist builds up form in layers, from the multiple contours of the calves to the zig-zag hatching of his left arm.