Lot 7: A Dominican saint with subsidiary studies of a landscape and a face

Attributed to Ridolfo Ghirlandaio (Florence 1483-1561) A Dominican saint with subsidiary studies of a landscape and a face with inscription 'Fra: Bartolomeo' on the mount black chalk, pen and brown ink, brown wash, the outlines pricked, losses, on a 17th Century Italian album page 8 7/8 x 5 5/8 in. (226 x 143 mm.)

H. Shemilt, from whom bought by
Raoul Millais, by whom given to the present owner.

The subject is perhaps Saint Thomas Aquinas or Saint Nicholas of Tolentino. The pricking suggests that the drawing was made in preparation for an embroidery design, perhaps for a cope. The attribution to Ghirlandaio was proposed by Francis Russell (loc. cit.), and was tentatively supported by William Griswold in a letter dated June 1990.