Alessandro Magnasco, called il Lissandrino

Hinged to the mount at the upper margin. Overall in good condition. Upper left corner has had some repairs and part of it appears to have been made up, barely visible. Medium remains strong with white heightening remaining extremely fresh and vibrant.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This fine drawing shows Magnasco's draughtsmanship at its free and expressive best.  Washerwomen appear frequently in the artist's compositions, taking their place within his painted landscapes and also in his drawings.  Our young laundress does not directly relate to a figure in one of Magnasco’s paintings, but this is not unusual as many of his drawings were executed as independent works of art.  Similar figures can be found in Women washing in the stream in the City of York Art Gallery, and in Landscape with washerwomen and Foresters, in the National Museum, Warsaw.¹

Among Magnasco’s extant drawings of washerwomen, the present example is one of the most pictorial.  Here he uses the entire sheet, creating an atmospheric background using broad brush strokes that softly envelop the young woman as she washes her clothes in the river.  The white heightening is carefully placed to draw out the waterfall in the distance and to give definition to the young girl's form.  Two other drawings by Magnasco that depict isolated figures of washerwoman are in the Uffizi, Florence, one showing a young laundress on her knees, the other standing as she uses a board to wring out the clothes.²  Another drawing with five separate studies of washerwomen is in The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.³

1.  L. Muti & D. de Sarno Prignano, Alessandro Magnasco, Ravenna 1994, p.406, fig.198 and p. 180, no. XL, respectively
2.  Alessandro Magnasco 1667-1749, exhib. cat., Milan, Palazzo Reale, 1996, pp. 292-3 (Uffizi inv. nos. 7067S and 7084S)
3.  F.F. Guelfi, Alessandro Magnasco, Soncino 1991, p. 122, fig. 52