Annibale Carracci Self-portrait ca. 1575-80 drawing Royal Collection, Windsor |
Curators at the Royal Collection believe Annibale Carracci was still a teenager and a student of his cousin Ludovico when he drew the self-portrait above. One of his earliest engravings appears immediately below, a monochrome copy of Lorenzo Sabbatini's newly painted altarpiece in Bologna.
Annibale Carracci after Lorenzo Sabbatini Holy Family with St Michael trampling Devil and conveying human souls to Christ 1582 engraving British Museum |
Annibale Carracci St Francis of Assisi 1585 engraving British Museum |
Annibale Carracci Susanna and the Elders ca. 1590-92 engraving British Museum |
Annibale Carracci Mary Magdalene in the wilderness 1591 etching, engraving British Museum |
Annibale Carracci St Jerome in the wilderness ca. 1591 engraving British Museum |
Domenico Santi Portrait of Annibale Carracci ca. 1640-90 etching British Museum |
The two print-portraits of Annibale above and below were both made posthumously, tributes to growing fame, rephrasing already-existing images from his lifetime.
Ignazio Enrico Hugford (draughtsman) Portrait of Annibale Carracci ca. 1769-75 engraving British Museum |
Annibale Carracci Venus and Satyr 1592 engraving British Museum |
Annibale Carracci Christ of Caprarola 1597 etching, engraving, drypoint British Museum |
Annibale Carracci Madonna della Scodella 1606 etching, engraving British Museum |
Annibale Carracci Christ crowned with thorns 1606 etching British Museum |
Annibale Carracci Adoration of the Shepherds ca. 1606 engraving British Museum |
Annibale Carracci Self-portrait drawing Getty Museum, Los Angeles |
Art historians seem agreed that the final image is a genuine self-portrait by Annibale, though some date it early in the career and some late. Some think they can see the artist manifesting the careworn and dejected state (as described in the sources) that preceded his premature death.