The Madonna and Child with an Escaped Goldfinch

early 1630s

Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, called Guercino

Associated Names
Guercino

Artist, Bolognese, 1591 - 1666

The drawing illustrates the upper body of two figures. The central figure is seated, looking to the left towards a bird in flight. The person has soft facial features with wavy hair arranged atop their head. They are dressed in draped clothing. With them is a child standing upright, partially supported by the seated figure's arm. The child has curly hair and looks directly towards the viewer. The drawing appears to use a single color medium, creating a monochromatic effect. The background is minimal, focusing on textures created by the medium, with the highlight of the bird adding an element of motion.

Media Options

This object’s media is free and in the public domain. Read our full Open Access policy for images.
Not on view See artworks now on view

Artwork overview

  • Medium

    red chalk on thin laid paper; laid down

  • Credit Line

    Andrew W. Mellon Fund

  • Dimensions

    overall: 26.3 x 20.3 cm (10 3/8 x 8 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1996.21.1

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Hubert de Marignane (stamp, HM, Lugt undescribed); Schaeffer, New York; Richard Krautheimer and Trude Krautheimer-Hess, New York, 1958 (stamp, R&TK in rectangle, Lugt undescribed) (their sale, New York, Christie's, 10 January 1996, lot 41); (David Tunick, New York); purchased by NGA, 1996.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1961

  • Drawings from the Collection of Mrs. Richard Krautheimer, Institute of Fine Arts, New York, 1961 (no cat.).

1963

  • Italian Drawings from the Collection of Mrs. Richard Krautheimer, Vassar College Art Gallery, Poughkeepsie, 1963, no. 21.

1966

  • Italian Master Drawings from the Collection of Mrs. Richard Krautheimer, Duke University, Durham, 1966, no. 17.

Bibliography

1996

  • Sutton, Peter C. "Past Masters," Christie's International Magazine XIII (January/February 1996), 15, 16, fig. 13.

Inscriptions

illegible inscription (now abraded) at lower left; by later hand, lower center verso in graphite (trimmed): DTTS

Wikidata ID

Q64572429

You may be interested in

Loading Results