Schiff describes this as an "Eigenhändige Pause" (a tracing in his own hand) of the original drawing in the British Museum, which measures 6½ x 10¾in., the same size as the present drawing without the back border. It is not a precise tracing in that many of the individual forms differ in the actural drawing.

Schiff points out that the compositions derives from the painting of the same subject by Giulio Romano in the church of S. Stefano, Genna. Individual figures are taken from Michelangelo's Ignudi and the Lunettes in the Sistine Chapel.

We are grateful to Professor David Weinglass for his help in preparing this catalogue entry