Pier Leone Gezzi (1674-1755)

The servant, caricature 1st half of the 18th century Drawing in pen and metallo-gallic ink Dimensions: height 305 mm x width 215 mm State of conservation: good condition Provenance: former collection of Carl Robert Rudolf (Lugt 2811b), donor of old drawings at the British Museum in London. Bibliography: Caricature drawings by Pier Leone Ghezzi, The property of the Rt. Hon. Lord Braybrooke, London, 1979. A rare caricatured portrait by Pier Leon Ghezzi of a servant who obviously has a high opinion of his responsibilities. Son of the painter Giuseppe Ghezzi, he became famous in particular for the realization of the frescoes of the villa Falconieri painted in 1727. With an acute sense of observation, he caricatures his contemporaries, of which our drawing is a very fine example.