Jacques STELLA (1596-1657) - Saint Paul martyr

Jacques STELLA (Lyon, 1596 - Paris, 1657)
Saint Paul martyr
Pen and brown ink, grey wash - 15.3 x 13 cm
Louis XIV period gilded frame - 37.2 x 33.4 cm

Provenance:
Unidentified collection from the second half of the 18th century (initialled L. 2956, lower right of the mount) ;
Private collection from Paris, acquired at an anonymous sale in Toulouse on 4 June 1996

Exuding great freshness, our sheet is exemplary of Jacques Stella’s late manner. Its thoroughly developed graphic style recalls the preparatory drawings for the grand series "The Life of the Virgin," characterised by an assured line, elegant light, and distinctly marked masculine features.