Joseph greeted by his brethren

A study in reverse for the fresco datable to 1656-57 in the Palazzo Quirinale, Rome (Fig. 1; F. Petrucci, Pier Francesco Mola (1612-1666): Materia e colore nella pittura del '600, Rome, 2012, no. D24, pp. 81-5, 462-67). A drawing which is closer to the composition of the fresco is at Holkham (Inv. 15694; R. Cocke, op. cit., pl. 61). Five further studies in pen and brown ink exploring the composition are known (see R. Cocke, op. cit., pls. 65, 66, 71 and 72, F. Petrucci, op. cit., pp. 466-67 and Sotheby's, London, 2 July 1984, lot 64). The artist also explored different elements of the composition in a number of drawings (see R. Cocke, op. cit., pls. 63, 64, 67-70 and F. Petrucci, op. cit., pp. 466-67).

We are grateful to Nicholas Turner for confirming the attribution to Pier Francesco Mola after examining the drawing in person, and for his help in cataloguing it.

Fig. 1. Pier Francesco Mola, Joseph greeted by his brethren, fresco, Palazzo Quirinale, Rome.