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Francesco Mazzuoli, called II Parmigianino

Study of an Antique Head of Julius Caesar, ca. 1530–1535

Description

Maker

  • Francesco Mazzuoli, called II Parmigianino, 1503-1540, Italian

Title

Study of an Antique Head of Julius Caesar

Year

ca. 1530–1535

Medium

Pen and ink, brush and wash, and white heightening on laid paper

Materials/Techniques

Supports

  • laid paper

Dimensions

8.6 x 7 cm (3 3/8 x 2 3/4 inches)

Signature / Inscription / Marks

LL:"L. da Vinci"

Type

  • Works on Paper,
  • Drawings and Watercolors

Credit

Gift of Mrs. Gustav Radeke

Object Number

20.517

About

This small drawing is a fragment cut from a larger sheet of sketches. As the blank eyes and figure type of the head suggest, this study was made from an ancient bust or a plaster cast of one. The sculpture was most likely a portrait of the Roman general Julius Caesar (100–44 BCE), and the finely hatched penwork and deft use of wash are typical of Parmigianino’s draftsmanship. Like many Renaissance artists, Parmigianino studied and copied works of ancient art to inform his elegant compositions. As the old inscription shows, the drawing once was erroneously attributed to Leonardo da Vinci.

LL:"L. da Vinci"

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Projects & Publications

Publications

From Dürer to Van Gogh

Gifts from Eliza Greene Radeke and Helen Metcalf Danforth
Read Online

Old Master Drawings from the Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

From Dürer to Van Gogh

June 5 - October 26, 2008

Although inscribed by an early collector with the name of Leonardo da Vinci, this is in fact one of a group of drawings by the artist Parmigianino after a sculpted bust. The sparse hair, long furrowed neck, aquiline nose, cleft chin, and specific topography of the furrowed forehead identify the subject as the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar. Parmigianino’s patterned cross-hatching and dappled application of wash create dramatic light effects that are also characteristic of the etchings and chiaroscuro woodcuts made after his drawings.

A Matter of Tone

July 16 - October 31, 2004

Treasures on Paper

June 13 - August 19, 1989

Old Master Drawings

September 2 - October 16, 1983

Drawings and Prints of the First Maniera

February 22 - March 25, 1973

Italian Drawings from the Museum's Collection

March 17 - April 16, 1961

Use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in the public domain (CC0 1.0). This object is Study of an Antique Head of Julius Caesar with the accession number of 20.517. To request high-resolution files or new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.

Feedback

We view our online collection as a living documents, and our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you have additional information or have spotted an error, please send feedback to curatorial@risd.edu.

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