Port of Livorno with a galley, numerous figures on the shore, ca. 1625 – 1630

About the Work

The attribution to Agostino Tassi puts this drawing—hitherto considered a work by the Florentine Stefano della Bella—in a whole new context. Tassi was much in demand as a specialist for depictions of decorative architecture and landscapes. The view of the harbour from above is typical of his work. The many figures are no more than rapid notations. Tassi committed numerous crimes, including the rape of the artist Artemisia Gentileschi, for which he was banned from Rome for five years.