Sketches of Two Putti, One Holding Hand of Dead Christ (recto); Torso and Legs of Kneeling Figure (verso)
Medium
Black chalk, heightened with touches of white chalk (recto and verso), on blue laid paper
Dimensions
24 × 30.9 cm (9 1/2 × 12 3/16 in.)
Classification
chalk
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
112357
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Art Institute of Chicago's and Drawings collection, *Sketches of Two Putti, One Hand of Dead Christ*recto) and *Torso and Legs of Kne Figure* (verso) by Alessandro Casolani offers a glimpse into the intimate preparatory world of a 16th-century Sienese Mannerist master. Casolani (1552–1606), known for his elegant, elongated figures echoing Michelangelo's influence, crafted these undated studies around the late Renaissance. On the recto, playful yet poignant putti—those cherubic childlike figures symbolizing divine innocence—grasp the lifeless hand of Christ, evoking scenes from t...