Italian School, Late 16th Century - Head Of A Man And Studies Of Flayed Fig

Head of a Man and Écorché Studies (Arms)
Italian School, late 16th century


Red chalk on laid paper
21 × 11 cm

This refined drawing combines the expressive head of a man with a series of anatomical studies of flayed arms, rendered with remarkable precision. It reflects the close observation of muscular structure and volume characteristic of studio practices in late 16th-century Italy.

The quality of the line, the subtle modelling, and the focus on anatomy recall the investigations carried out within the Florentine circle of Bernardino Poccetti (1548–1612), in the wake of Michelangelo’s legacy.

Provenance
– Former collection of Michael Jaffé (1923–1997), art historian and Director of the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge
– Domini Winter Auctioneers, 5 March 2020, lot 240 (as circle of Bernardino Poccetti)
– Private collection, France

A significant drawing from the Italian Renaissance, blending expressive force with anatomical rigor.