Italian School (Mantuan),16th Century Putti Gathering Grapes

Description:

Italian School (Mantuan),16th Century

Putti Gathering Grapes
Unsigned, with collector's marks from Sir Thomas Lawrence (Lugt, 2445) at bottom edge, left of center, and from Francis Egerton, Earl of Ellesmere (Lugt 2710b) l.r., identified on a gummed label affixed to the frame backing.
Pen, brown ink, and brown wash with traces of black chalk on watermarked paper, 7 1/2 x 16 in. (19.0 x 40.3 cm),framed.
Condition: Mounted to a secondary paper support, affixed to the window mat around the perimeter of the reverse.

Provenance: Sir Thomas Lawrence (L., 2445),Lord Francis Egerton, 1st Earl of Ellesmere (L., 2710b),and by descent; Sotheby's, London, December 5, 1972, Lot 81 (as Mantuan School, c. 1550); Christie's London, July 8, 1975, Lot 15 (as Mantuan School, c. 1550); Christie's New York, Old Master & Early British Drawings & Watercolors Including an Important Canadian Collection and a Distinguished Private Collection, January 31, 2013, Lot 34 (as Mantuan School, 16th Century); through to the estate of Robert Wynne, Massachusetts.

Literature: Catalogue of the Ellesmere Collection of Drawings at Bridgewater House (London, 1898 no. 186 [as Giulio Romano]),as reported in the above-referenced Christie's catalog entry.
Estimate $400-600

Faint watermark "LUNDR...IOHANNO..."

Scattered foxing. Small hole (1/8 inch) to u.r. corner. Loss to corner at lower left which measures 1 1/2 inches up x 2 3/4 inches across and extends up to just beneath the feet of the two putti; possible water stain or similar to thigh of the squatting figure in the lower left quadrant. Small paper loss to lower right corner. Reverse with paper remnants from a prior mounting.

There is a little sketch of a barn, perhaps on the supporting sheet, that can be seen when the work is held up against a light.

Framed dimensions are 14 x 22 1/2 x 1 1/8 inches.


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