Lot 28: Pietro Lucatelli (Rome 1634-1710)

Head of a prelate, seen from behind, wearing a biretta black and white chalk on grey-blue paper 11 5/8 x 11 7/8 in. (294 x 224 mm.) NOTES A study for the head of Cardinal Francesco Barberini in Lucatelli's cartoon after a design by Ciro Ferri for the tapestry of Urban VIII strengthening the walls of Rome for the Palazzo Barberini, illustrated in A. Blunt and H. L. Cooke, The Roman Drawings of the XVII and XVIII Centuries in the collection of Her Majesty the Queen at Windsor Castle, London, 1960, fig. 21. The cartoon was highly finished, and although probably intended for a tapestry was later affixed to the wall of the palace as a decoration in itself. The compositional drawing by Ciro Ferri which formed the basis of the collaboration is at Windsor (A. Blunt and H.L. Cooke, op. cit., no. 131). The relationship between this drawing and the cartoon was first noticed by Peter Dreyer and was brought to our attention by Dr. Jorg Martin Merz. We are grateful to Dr. Merz for his kind help in preparing this catalogue entry.