Head of a bearded man

From a group of drawings sold in these Rooms 15 April 1980, lots 18-97, all extracted at an early date from an album apparently assembled in the 17th Century. The album contained drawings by Ribera, Zuccaro and Barocci, but the core of the series was a group of head studies, such as the present lot, which are attributed to the Cavalier d'Arpino and his school. One of the sheets bears a contemporary ascription to the Cavalier, a connection which was confirmed at the time of the sale by Professor Herwarth Röttgen.