Watermark: none.
Mariette and his contemporaries believed that a work of art needed to be easily apprehended in order to be correctly analyzed and understood. Damages and lacunae were considered obstacles to the viewer's ability to observe and learn. It was therefore important to enhance the legibility of some sheets. This drawing by Parmigianino was only a fragment, but Mariette extended it at top and bottom. He completed the chair and the girl's gown but also added the detail of the window. -- Exhibition Label, from "Pierre-Jean Mariette and the Art of Collecting Drawings."
Inscribed on verso of mount, in graphite, "1679"; at lower center, in black chalk, "T".
Jabach, Everhard, 1618-1695, former owner.
Mariette, Pierre Jean, 1694-1774, former owner.
Lawrence, Thomas, Sir, 1769-1830, former owner.
Coningham, William, 1815-1884, former owner.
Murray, Charles Fairfax, 1849-1919, former owner.
Morgan, J. Pierpont (John Pierpont), 1837-1913, former owner.
Selected references: Popham 1953, 34-35; Fröhlich-Bum 1958, 13; Seilern, 1959, 41-42; Popham 1971, 1: 61, under no. 60, 125, no. 322; Freedberg 1973, 149; Jaffé 1994, 235, under no. 666; Py 2002, 111, no. 349; Gnann 2000, 50; Gnann 2007, 1: 76, 88, 375, no. 164.
Dervaux, Isabelle. Drawing connections: Baselitz, Kelly, Penone, Rockburne, and the old masters. New York: Morgan Library & Museum, 2007, p. 15-16 (repr.)