Lot 26: Baccio del Bianco (Florence 1604-1656 Madrid)

Caricature of the artist returning from the wars to be greeted by the painter Francesco Furini (1604-1645)
inscribed (reinforced) 'Ragazzo di Baccio', 'Baccio che' torna dalla Guerra', 'Raggazzo da la fetta', 'furino che lo saluta' and 'Capellano'
black and red chalk
8 5/8 x 13 in. (219 x 230 mm.)

London, Royal Academy, The Paul Oppé Collection, 1958, no. 282.

An anonymous Florentine collector with inscription 'mano di Baccio di bianco'.
Purchased from P. & D. Colnaghi, 16 May 1934 (£7).

According to a biography by his near contemporary Filippo Baldinucci 'the thing in which Baccio del Bianco excelled, and was perhaps even unique, was inventing and drawing with the pen funny little stories, grotesqueries and caricature portraits which were so well made that they could make people die of laughter' (quoted in J. Brooks, Graceful and True, Drawing in Florence c. 1600, exhib. cat., Oxford, Ashmolean Museum, and elsewhere, 2003-2004, p. 53, note 3).

The exact circumstances of this scene are not known, but Baccio and Francesco Furini were both apprentices in Biliverti's studio and must have known each other well. This drawing probably dates from shortly before November 1619 when Furini left for Rome since Baccio had left for Vienna by the time Furini returned.

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.