Monday, February 8, 2016

Italian drawings, 16th century I

Domenico Beccafumi
Gaius Mucius Scaevola holding his hand in the fire
16th century
Morgan Library 

Italian drawings from the 16th century, somehow preserved through the course of innumerable disasters and wars. In fact, many more have been lost than have been saved. This grim fact makes of each survivor an individual piece of divine providence. For the drapery studies below, Fra Bartolomeo is known to have soaked the fabric in diluted clay, then arranged the wet folds on mannequins.  

Fra Bartolomeo
Drapery study
16th century
British Museum

Fra Bartolomeo
Drapery study
16th century
British Museum

Daniele da Volterra
Kneeling figure from below
16th century
Morgan Library

Luca Cambiaso
Volute with Griffin
16th century
Prado

Luca Cambiaso
Volute with Harpie
16th century
Prado

Luca Cambiaso
Winged Lion
16th century
Prado

Pietro Faccini
Half-length figure from below
16th century
Morgan Library

attributed to Alberto Alberti
Woman approaching an altar
16th century
Morgan Library

Andrea Boscoli
Figure study
16th century
Morgan Library

Baccio Bandinelli
Figures
ca. 1519-25
Morgan Library

Alessandro Casolani
Figures running
16th century
Morgan Library

Domenico Campagnola
Putti
16th century
Morgan Library

Domenico Campagnola
Rocky landscape
16th century
Morgan Library