Old Master and British Works on Paper

Giovanni Battista Piazzetta

Madonna and Child

Lot Closed

January 26, 07:49 PM GMT

Estimate

6,000 - 8,000 USD

Lot Details

Description

Giovanni Battista Piazzetta

Venice 1682 - 1754

Madonna and Child

Red chalk over traces of black chalk;

bears old attribution in brown ink, lower right: Gianbatista Piazzetta Ven

207 by 151 mm; 8⅛ by 6 in.

The Reliable Venetian Collector (L.3005c), his inscription 'Gianbatista Piazzetta Ven';
Duke Roberto Ferretti di Castelferretto,
by whom sold, London, Christie's, 16 April 1991, lot 181;
with Crispian Riley-Smith, London, by 1999,
where acquired by the present owner

This subtle and delicate red chalk drawing is the preparatory study for a print published by Giovanni Battista Finazzi, a very rare impression of which is in the collection of the Museo Correr, Venice.

The engraving is inscribed 'Gio Batta Piazzetta in. / CONTINUA PROTECTIONE / CUSTODI / Gio Batta. Finazzi a. Gio Grisostomo' and Professor George Knox previously suggested that the present work may be Piazzetta's earliest known drawing.

Stylistically, our drawing can be closely compared to another sensitively executed early work by Piazzetta, depicting The Madonna and Child Giving a Scapular to an Angel, until last year in the collection of Dr. John O'Brien.¹

^1. Sale, New York, Sotheby's, From Taddeo to Tiepolo: The Dr. John O’Brien Collection of Old Master Drawings, 27 January 2021, lot 243 ($25,200)