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Lot Essay
THIS IS A LIFE STUDY OF BEATA PASITEA CROGI MADE DURING A MOMENT OF MEDITATION OR PRAYER. ANOTHER VERSION OF APPROXIMATELY THE SAME SIZE IS IN THE LOUVRE, F. VIATTE, OP. CIT., 1988, NO. 524, ILLUSTRATED, AND A THIRD PORTRAIT, EXECUTED IN BLACK AND RED CHALK HEIGHTENED WITH WHITE, IS IN THE UFFIZI (INV. 4705 F).
THE PRESENT DRAWING AND THE ONE IN THE LOUVRE ARE THE ONLY KNOWN PASTELS IN VANNI'S DRAWINGS OEUVRE, AND THEY CLEARLY REFLECT THE ARTIST'S KNOWLEDGE AND ADMIRATION OF BAROCCI'S PASTEL STUDIES. PASITEA CROGI WAS THE DAUGHTER OF THE PAINTER PIERO CROGI WHO WORKED WITH VENTURA SALIMBENI. SHE IS KNOWN FOR HAVING WORN MEN'S CLOTHES IN ORDER BETTER TO HELP THE POOR. IN 1597 SHE LEFT SIENA FOR FLORENCE, PROTECTED BY GRAND DUCHESS CHRISTINA OF LORRAINE, AND SETTLED IN A HOUSE IN VIA DELLA COLONNA WITH EIGHTEEN OF HER COMPANIONS. IN 1602 SHE WENT TO FRANCE TOGETHER WITH MARIA DE' MEDICI, WHERE SHE FORMED PART OF A CIRCLE SURROUNDING THE QUEEN, DéVOTES ET SORCIES ITALIENNES, DENOUNCED BY THE DUC DE SULLY IN HIS MéMOIRES. SHE WAS FAMOUS FOR HER PROPHECIES AND PREDICTED, FOR EXAMPLE, CONCINO CONCINI'S PLOT TO ASSASSINATE THE QUEEN OF FRANCE. PASITEA CROGI DIED IN SIENA IN 1615, AND WAS LATER BEATIFIED.
THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE PORTRAIT IS DUE TO AN OLD ANNOTATION ON THE VERSO OF THE LOUVRE DRAWING AND TO THE FACT THAT THE PHYSIOGNOMY OF THE SITTER IN THE DRAWINGS CLOSELY CORRESPONDS TO AN ANONYMOUS PORTRAIT OF PASITEA CROGI, P. MISCATELLI, 'PASITEA CROGI E UN SUO RITRATTO INEDITO', LA DIANA, 1934, PP. 195-207.
THE PRESENT DRAWING AND THE ONE IN THE LOUVRE ARE THE ONLY KNOWN PASTELS IN VANNI'S DRAWINGS OEUVRE, AND THEY CLEARLY REFLECT THE ARTIST'S KNOWLEDGE AND ADMIRATION OF BAROCCI'S PASTEL STUDIES. PASITEA CROGI WAS THE DAUGHTER OF THE PAINTER PIERO CROGI WHO WORKED WITH VENTURA SALIMBENI. SHE IS KNOWN FOR HAVING WORN MEN'S CLOTHES IN ORDER BETTER TO HELP THE POOR. IN 1597 SHE LEFT SIENA FOR FLORENCE, PROTECTED BY GRAND DUCHESS CHRISTINA OF LORRAINE, AND SETTLED IN A HOUSE IN VIA DELLA COLONNA WITH EIGHTEEN OF HER COMPANIONS. IN 1602 SHE WENT TO FRANCE TOGETHER WITH MARIA DE' MEDICI, WHERE SHE FORMED PART OF A CIRCLE SURROUNDING THE QUEEN, DéVOTES ET SORCIES ITALIENNES, DENOUNCED BY THE DUC DE SULLY IN HIS MéMOIRES. SHE WAS FAMOUS FOR HER PROPHECIES AND PREDICTED, FOR EXAMPLE, CONCINO CONCINI'S PLOT TO ASSASSINATE THE QUEEN OF FRANCE. PASITEA CROGI DIED IN SIENA IN 1615, AND WAS LATER BEATIFIED.
THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE PORTRAIT IS DUE TO AN OLD ANNOTATION ON THE VERSO OF THE LOUVRE DRAWING AND TO THE FACT THAT THE PHYSIOGNOMY OF THE SITTER IN THE DRAWINGS CLOSELY CORRESPONDS TO AN ANONYMOUS PORTRAIT OF PASITEA CROGI, P. MISCATELLI, 'PASITEA CROGI E UN SUO RITRATTO INEDITO', LA DIANA, 1934, PP. 195-207.