The Virgin and Child, His hand raised in blessing

Details

Lombard School, circa 1480-1500
The Virgin and Child, His hand raised in blessing
black chalk, pen and brown and black ink, grey-brown wash, heightened with white on grey prepared paper, the corners cut
7 3/8 x 5 ¼ in. (18.8 x 13.5 cm)

Provenance

Unidentified collector’s mark, in gold, a lion rampant (L. 2798).
John Skippe (1742-1811), Upper Hall, Ledbury (on associated mount), and by descent to
Edward Holland-Martin; Christie’s, London, 20-21 November 1958, lot 248 (as Milanese School, early 16th Century; 190 gns. to Hans Calmann), from whom acquired by Robert Landolt.

Special notice

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Lot Essay

Probably executed in preparation for the central section of a devotional panel, this sheet projects strong characterization of the figures and masterly handling of the media. The figures’ proportions, facial features and archaic composition resemble the work of a group of artists active in Lombardy under the dukedom of Ludovico Sforza, such as Bernardino Butinone, Bernardo Zenale and Francesco de’ Tatti. A finished drawing in Musée de Grenoble (inv. MG D 2) with Saints Jerome and Francis in the wilderness, the only sheet that has been plausibly attributed to this circle, compares closely to the Landolt drawing both in technique and expressive characterization of the figures (see E. Pagliano, De chair et d'esprit. Dessins italiens du musée de Grenoble, Grenoble, 2010, no. 2, ill.).

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