A NUDE WOMAN, HALF-LENGTH, SEEN FROM THE FRONT AND FROM BEHIND; AND STUDIES OF SAINT FRANCIS, ANOTHER SAINT AND A LANDSCAPE (RECTO); A STANDING DRAPED FIGURE (VERSO)

THESE ARE STUDIES FOR ONE OF VANNI'S LATEST WORKS, THE LAST COMMUNION OF THE MAGDALEN IN THE CHURCH OF S. MARIA ASSUNTA IN CARIGNANO, GENOA (FIG. 1). THE ALTARPIECE WHICH WAS LATER ENLARGED AND ADAPTED BY THE GENOESE PAINTER PAOLO GEROLAMO PIOLA (G. BIANCHI BANDINELLI, 'CATALOGO DELLE OPERE DEL PITTORE FRANCESCO VANNI', BOLLETINO SENESE DI STORIA PATRIA, 1943, P. 27, NOTE 4) CAN BE DATED TO 1609, B. SANTI IN L'ARTE A SIENA SOTTO I MEDICI, 1555-1609, EXHIB. CAT., ROME, 1980, P. 123.
AN OIL SKETCH FOR THE PAINTING IS AT CHRIST CHURCH, (J. BYAM SHAW, DRAWINGS BY OLD MASTERS AT CHRIST CHURCH, OXFORD, OXFORD, 1976, I, P. 112, II, PL, 212), AND SEVERAL STUDIES ARE IN THE BIBLIOTECA COMMUNALE, SIENA, RIEDL, OP. CIT., PP. 84, 104, NOTE 87.