Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, called il Guercino

Sale, London, Sotheby's, 2 July 2025, lot 133

Very characteristic of Guercino's graphic style in the delicate use of the pen and ink with abundant fluid brown wash, the present sheet would seem to date to the second decade of the seventeenth century. The Madonna is seated and studied full length, with the Child standing on clouds to her left. She holds him tenderly, her right hand under his raised arm and her left under his feet.

Though no related painting is known, this must be a preliminary idea for one of the artist's early altarpieces, for which Guercino usually made numerous studies that serve to witness significant alterations. We are grateful to David Stone for suggesting, from an image, a dating to circa 1615-16.¹

^1.Email dated 14 May 2025