Lombard School (late 16th century)
Grotesque female head in profile

black chalk on paper

Unframed: (sheet): 14.1 x 9.4 cm. (5 1/2 x 3 3/4 in.)

Clearly inspired by Leonardo’s grotesque heads, the draughtsman has not sought to mimic the handling of his drawings or that of his pupil, Francesco Melzi (1491-1570). Delicately executed, this highly expressive head is executed with finely sharpened chalk, the linework as subtle and rapid as that of a silverpoint drawing. Peripheral sketches at the upper and lower right include a slightly modified profile, and what appear to be rapid drapery annotations.

Remarkably there is a distinct similarity, albeit in reverse, with the profile of Abra, Judith’s handmaiden, in Caravaggio’s Beheading of Holofernes (Rome, Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica, no. 2533). Difference in the angle of the gaze, the turn of the shoulders, the fringed cap - and, not least, the wart on the nose - preclude this from being a copy. However, the distinct curve at the upper right, just beneath the faintly sketched head, appears to relate to Judith’s shoulder as seen in Caravaggio’s painting. Likewise, the sharp triangular annotation directly below could well be related to the folds of Abra’s sack, into which Judith deposited the severed head. Evidence therefore suggests that a Caravaggista was responsible for this rapid sketch, possibly with a variation on the master’s striking composition in mind.