(Paris 1666-1719 Rome)
Study of a male nude with a staff, seated on a rock, red chalk on laid paper, laid down on another laid paper, 42,5 x 52,7 cm, browned, stained, tears, a central crease, mounted, unframed, (Sch)

Provenance:
Collection Michelangelo Pacetti (early 19th century) Rome, Lugt 2057;
Kupferstichkabinett Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, released, Lugt 4958;
collection Giancarlo Sestieri, Rome.

The son of a French sculptor, Pierre Le Gros the Younger participated in numerous significant sculpture projects in Rome at the turn of the 17th to the 18th century. Among his most famous works are worth mentioning the sculpture group “Religion Overthrowing Heresy” (c. 1695-1698) for the altar of Saint Ignatius in Il Gésu in Rome, the monumental altar relief with the "Apotheosis of the Blessed Luigi Gonzaga" in Sant'Ignazio, Rome and twelve huge apostle statues in San Giovanni in Laterano, Rome (ca. 1703-1712). The present study is technically and stylistically comparable with a study of a male nude executed in black chalk and with the design for the relief “Apotheosis of the Blessed Luigi Gonzaga” in the Musée du Louvre, Paris (Inv. 30494, 30495).

We are grateful Prof. Francesco Grisolia for the scientific support.