A Gazelle in Profile, Moving Toward the Right

A Gazelle in Profile, Moving Toward the Right

A Gazelle in Profile, Moving Toward the Right

Artist:Circle of Michelino da Besozzo (Michelino de Mulinari) (Italian, Lombardy, active 1388–1450)
Date:early 15th century
Medium:Tip of the brush and brown, gray (both in various shades), and black ink; contours with metalpoint (?or black chalk?); touches of white chalk; brown and light brownish gray wash; on vellum.
Dimensions:3 9/16 x 4 3/16 in. (9.1 x 10.6 cm)
Classification:Drawings
Credit Line:Robert Lehman Collection, 1975

The Lombard artist Michelino da Besozzo was celebrated during his lifetime for his naturalism, especially in rendering animals and birds. This magnificent drawing, probably made by an artist strongly influenced by Michelino, resembles the technique of the illuminations for which he was famous. As it is executed on vellum (a fine-quality parchment) rather than paper, it may have come from a model book; such books were commonly used at the time to record motifs for later use in painted compositions.

Provenance
F.R. Martin, London; [Arthur Ruck, London]. Acquired by Robert Lehman on September 30, 1929.

Copyright Image
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