- 91
Giovanni Battista Piazzetta
Estimate
20,000 - 30,000 USD
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Description
- Giovanni Battista Piazzetta
- a boy in a broad-brimmed hat, holding a flute
- Black chalk and stumping, heightened with white chalk on faded blue paper;
Bears old numbering on the verso in pen and brown ink: N.490.
Provenance
Sale, London, Christie's, 5 July 1988, lot 86;
Ian Woodner;
Dian and Andrea Woodner; their sale, London, Christie's, Old Master Drawings from the Woodner Collection, 2 July 1991, lot 124
Condition
The paper has faded to a grey colour. There are a number of repaired losses at the top margin, to the right and a few smaller one at the bottom margin. Foxing is scattered all over the sheet and on the verso there are traces of water staining but not visible throught the recto. Slight surface dirt and rubbing of the black chalk, white chalk in good condition. The drawing has suffered but the impact of the image is still strong.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
Catalogue Note
This study belongs to the series known as 'Teste di carattere'. Piazzetta made a good number of these head studies over many years and they achieved great popularity with collectors. Some, either single figures such as the present example, or groups of two or three, were also engraved by both by Marco Pitteri and Giovanni Cattini who in 1743 published fourteen such prints under the title: 'Icones ad vivum expressae'. No print related to the present drawing is known. Often Piazzetta's drawings of this type portray members of his own family, in particular his wife and children. The attribution was confirmed by Professor George Knox at the time of the Woodner sale.