A Design for a Triumphal Arch for Pope Leo XI: putti flanking a shield surmounted by papal keys and Justice and Prudence, and further figure studies

Flaminio Allegrini

active Rome 1605-1635

SOLD

PROVENANCE: An unidentified 17th Century collector's paraphe, an arrow above a circle, verso. With Sven Ghalin, London. With P. & D. Colnaghi, 1966. Lodewijk Houthakker (his mark, not in Frits Lugt).

Black chalk, pen and brown ink, brown wash, watermark, kneeling man in a shield (c.f. Briquet no 7628, Fabriano 1602)

230 x 336 mm (9 x 13 in.)

The present drawing is another version for one of the Triumphal Arch's built for Pope Leo XI in 1605, in the Campidoglio and Banchi Vecchi, near the Chiesa della Nazione Fiorentina in Rome. These projects for this Medicean Pope was to celebrate his election, though his pontificate was to last only 20 days! The other two drawings (also by Flaminio Allegrini) related to this project have been recently published by Dotoressa Simonetta Prosperi Valenti Rodin1, who has confirmed the attribution of our drawing2, first suggested by Hugo Chapman.

1. S. Prosperi Valenti Rodin, 'Allegrini: Francesco o Flaminio?' in Nuove ricerche in margine alla mostra: Da Leonardo a Rembrandt, designi della Biblioteca Reale di Torino, 1990, ed. G.C. Sciolla, figs. 10 and 13. These drawings formed part of an album, and other drawings in this album are also by Flaminio, and are connected to the frescoes in the Palazzo Chigi.

2. Written communication, 1st March 2000.