(Venice 1682–1754) Studies of hands, black and white chalk, on laid paper, watermark ”Monogram CS in a circle”, 21 x 29,8 cm, stained at lower left margin, mounted, unframed, (Sch)

Provenance: Private collection, Italy. The attribution of this drawing to Piazzetta was confirmed by Prof. Ugo Ruggeri. (See the copy of his certificate).

Literature: Comp. G. Knox, G. B. Piazzetta. Disegni-incisioni-libri-manoscritti, Venice 1893, No.91; J. Bean, F. Stampfle, Drawings from New York collections. III. The Eighteenth Century in Italy, New York 1971, No. 47; D. Maxwell White, A. C. Sewter, I disegni di G. B. Piazzetta nella Biblioteca Reale di Torino, Rome 1969.

According to Prof. Ugo Ruggeri the present drawing is related to several studies of the series “Studi Pittura già dissegnati da Giambattista Piazzetta ed ora con l’intaglio di Marco Pitteri” which was commissioned by Piazzetta’s friend and editor Giambattista Albrizzi in 1760. This publication includes copper engravings of details from paintings and drawings by Piazzetta executed by Marco Pitteri and Francesco Bartolozzi. Among them are seven plates with hand studies. Plate VII shows analogies with the present drawing in the formal and anatomical rendition. Moreover, Prof. Ruggeri mentions several studies from an album of drawings by Piazzetta (Kress Foundation, Pierpont Morgan Library New York) which was commissioned by Albrizzi. He points to two male nude studies which are stylistically and formally comparable with the present sheet. (Comp. Knox 1983, No. 91; Bean/Stampfle 1971, No. 47). There are further analogies with preliminary studies for the series of engravings “Gerusalemme liberata” in the Biblioteca Reale in Turin and with the figure of Christ in the painting “The Resurrection” in the Pinacoteca Nazionale in Bologna.