Head in Three-Quarter Profile (recto); Standing Young Man Pointing Left and Sketches of Feet, Arm (verso) is a complex, double-sided sheet of cream laid paper, attributed on the recto to an Unknown Italian artist or possibly Giorgione (Italian, c. 1477-1510), and on the verso possibly to Cecco Bravo (Italian, 1607-1661) or Giorgione. The drawing on the recto, executed solely in red chalk, captures a detailed profile portrait study characteristic of early sixteenth-century Venetian drawing, known for its emphasis on soft modeling and atmospheric quality. This side, showing the Head in Three-Quarter Profile, exemplifies the skillful use of chalk to achieve volume.
The verso presents a stark contrast in both subject and technique, featuring multiple studies including a Standing Young Man Pointing Left and Sketches of Feet, Arm. This side employs black chalk, pen and brown ink, and supplementary red chalk accents. The attributional difficulty reflected in the broad dating (1627-1799) suggests that this sheet may have served as a working surface passed down through multiple artists in Italy, perhaps used by a later practitioner like Bravo studying the earlier work of Giorgione.
This drawing serves as a remarkable document of Italian artistic exchange across the Renaissance and Baroque periods, illustrating diverse techniques and stylistic transitions on a single support. The work is a critical piece in the distinguished collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, offering scholars rich material for analysis of authorship and technique. As this historical drawing now resides in the public domain, high-quality prints and reproductions are available for broader study and appreciation of these masters of Italian draftsmanship.
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