Guercino (Giovanni Francesco Barbieri) oder Nachfolger (?); attributed

Grotesque face looking at a bat, 1618 – 1620

Blatt: 224 x 287 mm

Physical Description: Black chalk, oiled or dipped in gum arabic, over charcoal, washed in grey, heightened with white chalk, on originally blue laid paper

Inventory Number: 3936

Object Number: 3936 Z

Status: On display, Department of Prints and Drawings Exhibition Gallery

Texts

About the Work

Her large black eye, nose curved in bird’s-beak-like manner and pointed teeth make this woman downright creepy. She is screaming, evidently in an attempt to frighten a bat away from the grain she is sifting. The drawing has been executed in black chalk dipped in oil or gum arabic to give it more shine and durability.

Work Data

Basic Information

Title: Grotesque face looking at a bat

Draughtsman

Guercino (Giovanni Francesco Barbieri) oder Nachfolger (?); attributed

Period Produced

17th century

School

Baroque

Object Type

drawing

Physical Description: Black chalk, oiled or dipped in gum arabic, over charcoal, washed in grey, heightened with white chalk, on originally blue laid paper

Material

Technique

Geographic Reference

Bolognese

Production Reason

Captions Added Later: Bezeichnet unten links (von fremder Hand, mit der Feder in Braun): Guarchino (teilweise ausgekratzt); Auf der Rückseite (auf dem Auflagekarton) unten links Stempel des Städelschen Kunstinstituts, Frankfurt am Main (Lugt 2356), unten rechts bezeichnet (mit der Feder in Grau): uyt Crosat