Clergyman And Two Priestesses. Follower Of Guercino

Pen and brown ink on laid paper. Italian School, 18th century, follower of Francesco Barbieri, known as Guercino (1591–1666), formerly in the collection of Giuseppe Vallardi (L.1223). This sheet depicts a group of three figures: an old, bearded man wearing a mitre, flanked by two female figures. This group is taken from a larger composition attributed to Guercino known as the Scene of Sacrifice, now in the Royal Collection Trust (Windsor Castle). The drawing in the Royal Trust is itself derived from a now-lost original by Guercino. Provenance: Formerly in the collection of Giuseppe Vallardi (1784–1863), his stamp lower left. Giuseppe Vallardi was a dealer in prints and drawings. He was also artistic advisor to the Ambrosian Library in Milan and honorary curator of the Archinto Cabinet. In 1856, he sold a very important volume containing 378 drawings to the Louvre Museum for 35,000 francs. This provenance lends considerable credibility to our work.

The sheet is presented under a mat and under anti-reflective and UV-protective glass in an 18th-century giltwood drawing frame. Dimensions: 14.5 x 19 cm sheet – 28 x 36 cm with frame