KAREL SKRETA
IÓIO-IÓ74139 Figure Studies
r>v
Red chalk (recto); red chalk and pen and brown ink
(verso); H: 32.5 cm (i2I3/ióin.); W: 39.4 cm (15 % in.)
88.GB.5 2
MARKS AND INSCRIPTIONS: (Verso) inscribed Beschlos-
sen(?) hundert gulden zugeben in brown ink; illegible in-
scriptions and calculations in red chalk.
PROVENANCE: Private collection, United States (sale,
Sotheby's, New York, January 16, 1986, lot 77); art mar-
ket, London.
EXHIBITIONS: None.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: None.
THE RECTO AND VERSO OF THIS DRAWING CONTAIN
various studies of the Virgin and child adored by saints.
The Virgin and child in Skréta's painting The Mystic Mar-
riage of Saint Catherine of circa 1660 (Národní Galerie) are
quite close to the studies on the top left of the recto. A
drawing, The Annunciation (Berlin, Kupferstichkabinett
inv. KDZ 26388), contains a figure analogous to God the
Father on the top right of the verso, while types recalling
the figurai group on the bottom right of the verso appear
in Saint Joseph with the Patron Saints of Bohemia, Saints
Francis and Catherine (Národní Galerie inv. K 1641/1901).
Among the closest works overall to the present example
is Studies of Saint Felix ofCantalitio and Other Saints (Ber-
lin, Kupferstichkabinett inv. xdz 26392), a series of in-
terconnected figurai studies energetically sketched in
chalk with selected passages gone over in pen and ink.
The present drawing appears to date from circa 1660.
The mention of payment under the right-hand compo-
sition on the verso indicates that at least this portion of
the drawing was probably made in preparation for a
painting.^1i. The authors are grateful to E. Fucíková for assistance in de-
ciphering the inscription.310 CENTRAL EUROPEAN SCHOOL • § K R É T A