Workshop Of Pietro Da Cortona, Probably Ciro Ferri (rome 1634 – Florence 1689)

Workshop of Pietro da Cortona, probably Ciro Ferri
(Rome 1634 – Florence 1689)

The Flagellation of Saint Bibiana, c. 1645‑1655
Black chalk, pen and brown ink, brown wash heightened with white gouache on two joined sheets of paper
40.5 × 42 cm

Saint Bibiana, a Roman virgin, is bound to a column and scourged by two executioners while Roman magistrates look on. An angel descends from heaven holding the martyr’s crown and palm.

Workshop of Pietro da Cortona – the composition closely follows Cortona’s fresco The Flagellation of Saint Bibiana in Santa Bibiana, Rome (1624‑1626).

Probably Ciro Ferri – the warm brown wash, abundant white heightening and square format obtained by joining two sheets are typical of Ferri’s large presentation modelli made for display or for printmakers.

Likely function – a large modello shown to a patron or used as a cartoon for an engraving; its dimensions match the plate etched by Robert van Audenaerde (before 1699).

– Estate of James‑Isidor Kaiser, Copenhagen‑Hamburg
– Private collection, France

– P. da Cortona, fresco Flagellatio S. Bibianae, Santa Bibiana, Rome (1624‑26): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Bibiana
– C. Ferri, The Martyrdom of St. Bibiana, drawing, Princeton University Art Museum: https://artmuseum.princeton.edu/collections/objects/5387
– R. van Audenaerde after Cortona, engraving Martyrdom of St. Bibiana, The Metropolitan Museum of Art: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/693942
– ICCD, catalogue no. 0300047327: https://catalogo.cultura.gov.it/detail/HistoricOrArtisticProperty/0300047327
– J. M. Merz, Ciro Ferri and the Roman Baroque, Milan 2013, pp. 148‑151.

A spectacular sheet, remarkable for its size and opulent white highlights, exemplifying the post‑fresco dissemination of Cortona’s invention through the virtuoso hand of Ciro Ferri.