ITALIAN - BOLOGNESE SCHOOL 17thC - RELIGIOUS SCENE ATTR. SIRANI - INK DRAWING
Item History & Price
For sale is this magnificent 17th century Italian master drawing, a drawing coming from a collection in Pisa.
The drawing, executed in pen, ink, grey wash and white watercolor on laid paper, shows a sensitive religious scene, depicting Zecharia, Elisabeth and the young Saint John the Baptist visiting the Holy Family.This drawing must have been preparatory for a larger scale painting.
Authorship : the drawing is from the Italian-Bolognes School, given to Elisabetta Sirani (ou...r drawing is stylisticly related to a Sirani drawing, "the Virgin and the sleeping Child"). However, more research should be done to document this attribution.
ELISABETTA SIRANI (Bologna 1638 - Bologna 1665) : Italian Baroque painter and printmaker who died in unexplained circumstances at the age of 27. She was a seminal artist in early modern Bologna, who established an academy for other women artists.Sirani was born into an artistic family and was first trained in her father's studio. Her father was a painter of the Bolognese School and was a pupil of Guido Reni and as well active as an art merchant. Malvasia, a contemporary biographer, was personally acquainted with the Sirani family and actually took credit for recognizing Elisabetta's talent and persuading her father to train her as an artist. There is evidence that Sirani's father was not inclined, at first, to teach his daughter the way of Bolognese painting. She picked up his technique nonetheless and became one of the most renowned painters in Bologna, as a cult grew around her as the female reincarnation for Guido Reni. According to some scholars, she overshadowed both her father and two sisters, who were also painters . Throughout his biography of Sirani, Malvasia praises the originality of her compositions, her style of drawing, her fast manner of working and her professionalism.
Elisabetta Sirani was the family's primary breadwinner. Between her students' fees and portrait commissions, she was able to support the family. Her studio was highly successful, partially due to the progressive atmosphere of Bologna, where women artists were accepted and celebrated.
Elisabetta Sirani never married. Some believed, such as Malvasia, that her father prevented his daughter from marrying, however, this is unproven (many Italian families during the seventeenth century decided to marry their daughters to preserve their reputation or provide for their protection).
Elisabetta Sirani died suddenly in August 1665, in Bologna. Her death was considered suspicious and a maidservant, Lucia Tolomelli, was charged with poisoning the artist and put on trial.
Period : ca. 1660.
Size : 34, 2x24, 3cm.
Condition : Good. Some scattered dirt throughout. Sides slightly damaged, small fragments of paper missing, slightly irregular of shape. Top corner right, bottom corner left : fragments of paper missing. Top side mid : one small secured tear. Bottom zone mid : traces of wrinkling. Unframed.
Shipping : flat shippingrate 18$. Shipped as International Registered Mail (with trackingn°). Combined shipping available.
The drawing, executed in pen, ink, grey wash and white watercolor on laid paper, shows a sensitive religious scene, depicting Zecharia, Elisabeth and the young Saint John the Baptist visiting the Holy Family.This drawing must have been preparatory for a larger scale painting.
Authorship : the drawing is from the Italian-Bolognes School, given to Elisabetta Sirani (ou...r drawing is stylisticly related to a Sirani drawing, "the Virgin and the sleeping Child"). However, more research should be done to document this attribution.
ELISABETTA SIRANI (Bologna 1638 - Bologna 1665) : Italian Baroque painter and printmaker who died in unexplained circumstances at the age of 27. She was a seminal artist in early modern Bologna, who established an academy for other women artists.Sirani was born into an artistic family and was first trained in her father's studio. Her father was a painter of the Bolognese School and was a pupil of Guido Reni and as well active as an art merchant. Malvasia, a contemporary biographer, was personally acquainted with the Sirani family and actually took credit for recognizing Elisabetta's talent and persuading her father to train her as an artist. There is evidence that Sirani's father was not inclined, at first, to teach his daughter the way of Bolognese painting. She picked up his technique nonetheless and became one of the most renowned painters in Bologna, as a cult grew around her as the female reincarnation for Guido Reni. According to some scholars, she overshadowed both her father and two sisters, who were also painters . Throughout his biography of Sirani, Malvasia praises the originality of her compositions, her style of drawing, her fast manner of working and her professionalism.
Elisabetta Sirani was the family's primary breadwinner. Between her students' fees and portrait commissions, she was able to support the family. Her studio was highly successful, partially due to the progressive atmosphere of Bologna, where women artists were accepted and celebrated.
Elisabetta Sirani never married. Some believed, such as Malvasia, that her father prevented his daughter from marrying, however, this is unproven (many Italian families during the seventeenth century decided to marry their daughters to preserve their reputation or provide for their protection).
Elisabetta Sirani died suddenly in August 1665, in Bologna. Her death was considered suspicious and a maidservant, Lucia Tolomelli, was charged with poisoning the artist and put on trial.
Period : ca. 1660.
Size : 34, 2x24, 3cm.
Condition : Good. Some scattered dirt throughout. Sides slightly damaged, small fragments of paper missing, slightly irregular of shape. Top corner right, bottom corner left : fragments of paper missing. Top side mid : one small secured tear. Bottom zone mid : traces of wrinkling. Unframed.
Shipping : flat shippingrate 18$. Shipped as International Registered Mail (with trackingn°). Combined shipping available.
