STUDIES OF A YOUNG MAN LYING ON THE GROUND ANOTHER SEATED, HALF-LENGTH, WITH A CROSS (?), THE HEAD OF A YOUTH, AND A CHILD WITH HANDS CLASPED (RECTO); STUDIES OF THE HEADS OF A PUTTO AND A WOMAN AND A STUDY AFTER THE ANTIQUE (VERSO)

THESE ARE PREPARATORY STUDIES FOR VANNI'S PAINTING OF THE PROCESSION OF SAN CARLO BORROMEO DURING THE TIME OF THE PLAGUE, SIGNED AND DATED 1608, IN THE CHURCH OF MONTE CARMELO AT LOANO NEAR GENOA (FIG. 1). THE CHURCH WAS BUILT FOR ANDREA DORIA AND HIS WIFE GIOVANNA COLONNA BETWEEN 1603 AND 1608. THESE DRAWINGS ARE STUDIES AFTER THE MODEL, MOST PROBABLY MADE BY CANDLELIGHT IN THE STUDIO.
THE STUDY OF THE MAN LYING ON THE GROUND MATCHES PRECISELY THE FIGURE OF THE DEAD MAN IN THE RIGHT FOREGROUND OF THE PICTURE. A STUDY FOR THE DEAD BODY OF THE WOMAN HOLDING HER CHILD IS IN THE KUPFERSTICHKABINETT, BERLIN, AND A HIGHLY FINISHED DRAWING OF THE WHOLE COMPOSITION IS IN THE FONDATION CUSTODIA, PARIS, J. BYAM SHAW, THE ITALIAN DRAWINGS OF THE FRITS LUGT COLLECTION, PARIS, 1983, I, NO. 111, ILLUSTRATED.