Inscribed in pen and brown ink lower right Vanius, numbered on the verso 30/ 16.., black chalk, pen and brown ink, brown wash, outlines of figures incised with stylus, pen and brown ink framing lines

277 x 198 mm (10 x 7 in.)

Ansaldo was born in Voltri, and was the son of a merchant. He trained under Orazio Cambiaso and probably collaborated with Bernardo Strozzi. Two of his pupils were Giuseppe Badaracco (1588-1657) and Bartolomeo Bassi (circa 1600s-circa 1640s).Ansaldo is responsible for the fresco decoration of the Basilica della Santissima Annunziata del Vastato in Genoa, completed 1635-1638, just before his death. There is a painting of Allegory of the Arts in the Manchester City Galleries (accession number 1964.285)

The full attribution to Ansaldo was proposed by Jonathan Bober who intends to publish this drawing. 1 A drawing recently on the market was Women being chased out of a Temple also drawn in pen and brown ink and wash, but with the addition of white heightening and being squared in black chalk and measuring 330 x 240 mm.2

1.Communication from Jonathan Bober, 9 July 2012.

2.Sothebys New York, 26 January 2011, lot 529.

This is catalogue Number 5, in the on-line e-catalogue of 'Drawings from the collection of Harold Day (1924-2010)', see the home page for the e-catalogue.