Schetsblad met studies van voeten, handen en een arm

Art Historical Context

**Schetsblad met studies van voeten, handen en arm** by Gaetano Gandolfi invites visitors to peer into the artist's preparatory process during the late 17th century. This delicate drawing on paper, measuring 277 385 mm, captures multiple studies of feet, hands, and an arm—marks of an artist's rigorous anatomical training. Gandolfi an Italian master from the Emilian tradition, used such sketches to refine his understanding of human form, essential his larger compositions in painting and frescoes. These intimate studies reveal the meticulous observation that underpinned Baroque-era art, where lifelike figures demanded precision and vitality. The sheet's survival through centuries underscores its quiet significance. It traces a fascinating provenance: once in the collection of K.K. Oberstleutnant Friedrich Andrievic(z) or Artievicz in Zagreb, it passed to Helmut Haider in Diessen am Ammersee before entering the museum in 1958, supported by the J.W. Edwin vom Rath fonds. For museumgoers, this artwork exemplifies how sketch sheets served as personal sketchbooks, blending technical exercise with artistic exploration. Pause here to appreciate Gandolfi's fluid lines— a testament to enduring draftsmanship.

About the Artist

Gaetano Gandolfi · 1734–1802

Gaetano Gandolfi (1734–1802) was an Italian painter and draughtsman who, together with his older brother Ubaldo Gandolfi, represented the finest flowering of the Bolognese school during the eighteenth century. Born in San Matteo della Decima, he trained in Bologna under Felice Torelli and Ercole Lelli before entering the Accademia Clementina, the leading artistic institution in the city, where he ...