A Winged Putto Riding a Sea Horse and a Lion; verso: The Three Graces

Denijs Calvaert Netherlandish
 After Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio or Santi) Italian

Not on view

One of around twenty Italian drawings from the Massar collection, this double-sided sheet has recently been recognized as the work of Denijs Calvaert. Now almost illegible, the sheet is dated and signed at the bottom by the artist, “1574 / Dionisio Calvaert,” together with his place of birth, “DE ANVERSA” (Antwerp). Calvaert was in Rome between 1573 and 1576 where he made numerous studies after ancient sculpture and painting, but few have survived. This drawing is a copy after Raphael’s celebrated fresco at the Villa Chigi (commonly known as the Villa Farnesina), painted in 1517–18. Calvaert’s copies, such as this one, became highly sought after in Rome and were often mistaken as Raphael's own work. The bold and carefully finished manner we see in this sheet is typical of his drawing style.

A Winged Putto Riding a Sea Horse and a Lion; verso: The Three Graces, Denijs Calvaert (Netherlandish, Antwerp ca. 1540–1619 Bologna), Pen and brown ink, over black chalk (or charcoal), touches of red chalk, highlighted with white gouache, on blue paper (recto); pen and brown ink over black chalk, on blue paper (verso)

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recto

A Winged Putto Riding a Sea Horse and a Lion; verso: The Three Graces, Denijs Calvaert (Netherlandish, Antwerp ca. 1540–1619 Bologna), Pen and brown ink, over black chalk (or charcoal), touches of red chalk, highlighted with white gouache, on blue paper (recto); pen and brown ink over black chalk, on blue paper (verso)
A Winged Putto Riding a Sea Horse and a Lion; verso: The Three Graces, Denijs Calvaert (Netherlandish, Antwerp ca. 1540–1619 Bologna), Pen and brown ink, over black chalk (or charcoal), touches of red chalk, highlighted with white gouache, on blue paper (recto); pen and brown ink over black chalk, on blue paper (verso)

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