Description: Inscribed at upper right in pen and brown ink: andré del Sarto. Numbered at lower right in pen and brown ink: 107. (Sparre)

The traditional attribution to Andrea del Sarto was supported in 1902 by Sirén but in 1917 he put forward Lorenzo Lotto instead. This was accepted by Fiocco and by Berenson, who dated the work to 1513-17, that is before Lotto's mature period. Zampetti included the sheet in the Lotto exhibition in 1953, though without explicitly supporting the attribution. It was not mentioned in Pouncey's study from 1965.

Tietze and Banti both argue for an origin in Florence, with which Heinemann (in a letter) and Ruggeri agree. Heinemann refers to Andrea del Sarto's circle in general and so does Ruggeri, though he does also mention both Franciabigio and Domenico Puligo, comparing this sheet directly with two by the latter artist, "A head and shoulders of a young woman" and "St. John the Baptist".

The drawing is very worn but one can discern a free, painterly manner in the dark parts, while the heavy white accents reinforce the plasticity of the portrait. This creates the ambiguous effect which makes it so difficult to assess the drawing and helps to explain the wide differences of opinion concerning its origin.

The attribution to Lotto still appears most likely. The coloristic effect of blue paper with black and white chalk is extremely improbable in Florence at this time. And the calm radiance of the model, with the gaze directed at the beholder, does not tally with the diversion of attention, with the figure gazing to one side, that so frequently characterizes contemporary Florentine portraits.  [Bjurström, It. Drawings, cat. no. 77]

Foto: Erik Cornelius / Nationalmuseum 1991

Porträtt av en kardinal