Red chalk and red chalk wash on paper, 35 x 25.5 cm (paper), including frame 47 x 37 cm. Laid down in its original mount.
Annotated lower left, formerly in pen: "T Zuccaro".
With monogram J:B lower right on the mount.
With inscriptions on the reverse: "J:B. N:217. 13 3/4 by 10 1/4", "Tad. Zucchero", "[...] Bentick [...]" and "Uggla Nationalmuseum".
PROVENANCE
The collection of John Barnard (1709-1784), London, (Lugt 1420).
Our drawing appears to be part of a set of preparatory sheets for the figure of Saint Paul for the frescoes in the Cappella Frangipani in Rome. Another drawing of the same figure, with numerous variations, is now in the Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, inv. no. NMH 452/1863 (see John A. Gere, Taddeo Zuccaro: His Development Studies in His Drawings, London, 1969, no. 223, reproduced pl. 100). In his study of the the Stockholm drawing, Gere compares it to Zuccaro's studies for the Frangipani Chapel. Zuccaro used the same red chalk and red chalk wash technique in a Saint John the Evangelist
in the Louvre Museum, inv. no. 4504 (see J. A. Gere, op. cit. above, no. 178, reproduced pl. 103).
We would like to thank Mr Marco Simone Bolzoni for confirming the authenticity of this drawing after having examined it in person.
EXPERTISE
Cabinet de Bayser, Paris.
