Group of Standing and Seated Female Figures (recto); Costumed Female Figure (verso)

Art Historical Context

This charming double-sided drawing by Francesco Allegrini, dated between1624 and 1663, offers a glimpse into 17th-century Italian draftsmanship. On the recto, a group of standing and seated figures is rendered in red chalk, a medium prized for its warm, fleshy tones and subtle blending that mimic the softness of skin. Measuring a petite 4-1/8 x 5-9/16 inches, the sheet feels intimate, like a personal sketchbook page captured during life drawing sessions. The verso reveals a pen and brown ink sketch of a costumed female figure, showcasing Allegrini's fluid line work and exploratory approach. Such versatile sheets were common among artists of the Baroque era, serving as studies for paintings, frescoes, or engravings—here emphasizing graceful poses and attire that evoke everyday elegance or theatrical flair. Red chalk's popularity in Italy during this period allowed for quick, expressive modeling, bridging observation and imagination. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, this work was a gift from Cornelius Vanderbilt in 1880. It celebrates the female form as a timeless subject in art training, inviting visitors to flip it mentally and appreciate the artist's resourceful creativity.

About the Artist

Francesco Allegrini · 1615–1679

Francesco Allegrini (c. 1615/20–after 1679), born likely in Rome to the painter Flaminio Allegrini from Cantiano near Gubbio, emerged from a family of artists that included his sister, Anna Angelica Allegrini. He trained under Giuseppe Cesari, known as the Cavalier d’Arpino, around 1638–40, before entering the studio of Pietro da Cortona, whose dynamic Baroque style profoundly shaped his own. Elec...