Mythological Scene
Artist/Maker
Material / Technique
Dimensionsh x w: Mått 22,5 x 20,7 cm
Inventory numberNMH 780/1863
AcqusitionTransferred 1866 from Kongl. Museum (Carl Gustaf Tessin)
Other titlesTitle (sv): Mytologisk scen Title (en): Mythological Scene Inventory title (sv): Sex figurer i en åttkant
DescriptionDescription: All four corners cut ; Inscribed at lower right in pen and brown ink: Francesco Parmigiano. Numbered 639. A first attempt to distinguish Bertoja as a draughtsman was made by Popham in 1953, in his book of Parmigianino, followed by A.G. Quintavalle. Popham regards this particular sheet as characteristic and connects it with a drawing in the Hermitage, Leningrad, the left half of which corresponds to our composition. He assesses the Hermitage sheet as a copy, whereas Quintavalle sees it as an original by Bertoja. The motif is obscure. There is a superficial likeness with Fantuzzi´s engraving after Parmigianino showing circe giving drink to companions of Ulysses but this interpretation does not hold even if one disregards the right half of the Leningrad sheet, which contains a river god. Not only is there a child in the scene but the focus of attention seems to be an infant in swaddling clothes rather than a bowl of liquid. [Bjurström, It. Drawings, cat. no. 247]
Collection
Geographical origin
TechniqueDrawing