The Drawings of Michelangelo and His Followers in the Ashmolean Museum

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CATALOGUES 110–111 MISCELLANEOUS 385

knee. The central figure, who faces forward toward the

viewer’s left, seems to be either sitting or kneeling. His

right forearm is bent across his chest, and the hand is

angled to rest on his left upper arm. Although there

is no direct connection between these figures and any-

thing known by Michelangelo, there is some relation

to the relief of reclining decorative figures devised by

Michelangelo to be placed at the lower centre of the front

lower storey of the Julius Tomb as seen in themodelloin

the Metropolitan Museum, Inv. 62931 /Corpus 489 .It

may be that Battista Franco was aware of some related

drawing by Michelangelo that he took as his starting

point.

The purpose of the drawings on this sheet is entirely

conjectural. The recto study might be for a river god to

be placed in the left or right lower corner of some large-

scale religious or secular fresco: Decorative adjuncts of

this type became common during the153 0s and can be

seen, for example, in Franco’s own fresco of theCapture

of the Baptistin the Oratorio of San Giovanni Decol-

lato. The verso figures may also have served some such

function, but they seem to be involved in some common

experience and may participate in a narrative; in which

case the confined arrangement and the mood of forebod-

ing might suggest the Ugolino and his sons confined in

prison.

History

Pierre Crozat?; Pierre-Jean Mariette (L. 1852 ); the Mar-

quis de Lagoy (L. 1710 ); Thomas Dimsdale (L. 2426 ); Sir

Thomas Lawrence (L. 2445 ); Samuel Woodburn.

References

Woodburn, 1836 b,no. 8 (“A Magnificent Model – for

one of the figures on the Tombs of the Medici. This

splendid study is drawn with surprising energy, in the

grandest style of this great Master. It is executed with

the pen and bistre; and has several fine studies on the

reverse, executed with the pen; engraved. Capital. Size 18

inches by 11 inches. From the Collections of M. Crozat,

M. Mariette, Marquis Legoy, and Thomas Dimsdale,

Esq.”). The Athenaeum, 16 July 1836 (“ ‘Figure for a

Tomb’; the drawing powerful beyond compare, with

that large-handedness about its contours which makes us

imagine the artist himself of colossal dimensions; never-

theless somewhat mannered and fantastic.”). The Court

Journal, 23 July 1836 (“[D]rawn with consummate learn-

ing and skilful freedom.”). Woodburn, 184 2,no. 14

(“A Magnificent Study – for one of the figures on the

Tomb of the Medici at Florence, drawn with surprising

energy, in the grandest style of this Master, executed with

the pen and bistre; with several fine studies on the reverse,

executed with the pen. It is engraved. See Landon’s M.

Angelo, pls. 17 , 25 , 26. Size 16 inches by 11 inches.

From the Collections of M. Crozat, M. Mariette, Mar-

quis Legoy, and Thomas Dimsdale, Esq.”). Fisher, 1852 ,

p. 5 , pl. 26 (“Study – for one of the figures on the Tomb

of the Medici family at Florence, drawn with pen and

bistre in the grandest style of this Master.”). Fisher, 1865 ,

I, p. 19 , pl. 26 (As 1852 .). Robinson,187 0,no. 87 (Not

Michelangelo.). Fisher,187 2,I,p. 17 , pl. 26 (As 1852 .).

Fisher,187 9,LV/ 55 (“[N]ot to be ascribed to Michelan-

gelo.”). Parker, 1956 ,no. 237 (The recto figure shows

a debt to Pontormo’sVenus, designed by Michelangelo;

drawing “shows an absurdly exaggerated mannerism”

recalling Franco, but it is uncertain if it “is actually by

his hand.”).

CATALOGUE 111

battista franco?(c.151 0– 1561 )

Recto: Anatomical and Other Studies

Ve r so: Anatomical Studies

184 6.13 0;R. 51 ;P.II 409

Dimensions: 285 × 206 mm, small losses made up at

upper left and lower right

Medium

Pen and ink and red chalk, and red chalk over pen and

ink.

Condition

Double-sided window mount; bevelled inlay adhered to

verso.

Recto: There is overall patchy discolouration and

ingrained surface dirt with an “oily” stain at the top right

corner. There are three vertical fold lines with tears in all

the major folds, particularly at the edges. Various losses

have been filled. There is some show-through from the

verso.

Ve r so: The repair patches are clearly visible. There is

some colour change in the ink lines. The red chalk is

smudged at the right edge.

Description and Inscription

Recto

A.Agrotesque figure, the torso merging into foliage.

B.A left leg, partially ́ecorchet ́ oshow the bones and

muscles, seen frontally, in red chalk.

C.Agrotesque head, in left profile.