The Martydom of Saint Catherine

Details

After Lelio Orsi (Novellara 1508/1511-1587)
The Martydom of Saint Catherine
with attribution 'Marco da Pino, da Siena' (twice, on the old mount) and with inscription '[...]555' (verso) (i)
black chalk, pen and brown ink, brown wash, heightened with white, on (formerly) blue paper
16 3/8 x 11¾ in. (41.7 x 30 cm); and one other drawing:
Italian School, 16th Century, The Virgin and Child with the Infant Saint John, after Parmigianino, red chalk, the corners cut, 7 x 9 7/8 in. (17.7 x 25.1 cm)
(2)

Provenance

(i) Sir Joshua Reynolds, London (1723-1792) (L. 2364).
William Young Ottley, London (1771-1836), on his mount; T. Philipe, London, 6-23 June 1814, lot 972 'PINO (Marco del, detto Marco da Siena) One – the martyrdom of St. Catherine – pen and bistre, on grey paper, pencil- heightened– capital'.
Sir Thomas Lawrence, London (1769-1830) (L. 2445).
M.H. Bloxam, by whom given to Rugby School Art Museum; with his inscription and attribution 'Rugby School Art Museum/ e dono Matt: H: Bloxam/ Pino, Marco da Sienna/ a.d 1520/ 1587' (on the mount).
(ii) Sir Thomas Lawrence, London (1769-1830) (according to a modern inscription on the mount).
M.H. Bloxam, by whom given to Rugby School Art Museum.

Literature

(i) Anne Popham, typescript catalogue, no. 29.
N. Clerici Bagozzi et al., Lelio Orsi. 1511-1587. Dipinti e disegni, exhib. cat., Reggio Emilia, Teatro Valli, 1987- 1988, no. 143c, pp. 168-169, ill. (entry by F. Frisoni).
(ii) Anne Popham, typescript catalogue, no. 33, as Francesco Mazzola, il Parmigianino.

Special notice

This lot is offered without reserve.

Brought to you by

Phoebe Tronzo

ptronzo@christies.com +44 (0)20 7752 3234

Lot Essay

The first drawing in this lot is one of several copies after Orsi's final model in the British Museum (inv. T,11.43) for the painting, which differs in some details from the drawing, in the Galleria Estense, Modena (inv. 126; see Clerici Bagozzi, op. cit., no. 142 and 143, ill.).
The second sheet is after a drawing by Parmigianino thought to have been lost during the World War II, which was the basis for a woodcut now given to Antonio da Trento (Bartsch XII.56.12).

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