A study of the Princess Niscemi

Boldini was an artist of great productiveness for whom le plus grand amusement est le travail. His wife confided that, 'He would have liked to have a thousand hands and a thousand eyes to harvest all the diverse aspects of life and nature' (quoted in V. Doria, Boldini, Bologna, 1982, p.100). He would sketch with immense vigour capturing his subject with rapid accuracy. Despite much of his graphic work already having come to light there are still a number of unpublished drawings that never cease to amaze with their delicacy of line and tone. Numbered amongst these is this study of the Princess Niscemi a member of the noble family of Valguarnera di Niscemi from Sicily.