The open hand and the head on the recto were identified by Anthony Clark in 1960 as studies for the Stigmatization of Saint Francis, painted for the Church of the Stemmate di San Francesco in Rome, F. DiFederico, Francesco Trevisani, Washington, 1977, no. 74, pl. 61. In 1715 Cardinal Ruspoli commissioned the remodelling of the church and asked Trevisani to paint a picture for the main altar to replace that of Giacinto Brandi. Trevisani's picture was engraved in 1719 with a dedication to the Cardinal.