BALDASSARE FRANCESCHINI, DIT IL VOLTERRANO | Recto: Studies of legs and hands Verso: Study of legs

Vente anonyme, Versailles, août 1968, n°10 ; 
Acquis une première fois à cette vente par l'actuel collectionneur ; 
Vente anonyme, Paris, Hôtel Drouot, M^e Tajan, 26 novembre 1999, n°79 : « Paul Baudry, pour le plafond de l'Opéra de Paris » ; 
Acquis à cette vente par la galerie Jean-François Baroni, Paris ; 
Acquis auprès de cette galerie, le 17 janvier 2003 comme Volterrano.

Rennes, 2012, n°18 (notice par Éric Pagliano)

Hinged to the mount at upper margin. Overall in very good condition. A few grey stains one lower left and one upper left on the recto. Tiny tear near the upper left corner. Chalk remains strong and vibrant. Sold unframed.
"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."

The strong and assured black chalk studies drawn on both the recto and verso of this sheet are typical of Volterrano's working drawings, in which the artist typically focused on isolated features or elements of his compositions, seeking to perfect particular details. The studies sheet are all preparatory sketches for figures in Volterrano's fresco, The Coronation of the Virgin with Saints, Prophets and Angels, which adorns the Cupola of the Niccolini Chapel in the church of Santa Croce, in Florence, commissioned by the artist's patron, Filippo Niccolini, in 1653 (fig. 1).

The studies relate to three different figures within the Coronation composition: the two studies of a leg on the recto are for the figure of Isaac, the studies of hands holding a sword relate to that of Judith, and the studies of a man's calf on the verso connect with the Saint John the Baptist.

The frescoes in the Niccolini chapel were completed by 1661 and in 1680 Volterrano would approach the subject of the Coronation of the Virgin again, in a commission received from the Servite Order for the cupola of the church of Santissima Annunziata. Volterrano may have used his study sheets for the Santa Croce project to aid him in certain aspects of the design at Santissima Annunziata, and one can draw parallels between these leg studies drawn da sotto in sù and certain figures in this elaborate fresco.

The present drawing's appeal lies not only in the way it illustrates how Volterrano keenly observed and sketched out aspects of his large commissions, but also, more straightforwardly, in the mise en page of these studies. Whether there were any premediated thoughts by the artist as to where to position his various sketches or whether it was just random, his study sheets are always alluring in their aesthetic arrangement.