Holy Family with Saint Anne and Female Head in Profile

Art Historical Context

This delicate drawing, *Holy Family with Saint Anne Female Head in Profile*, to the Bolognese artist Donatoti (1671–1749), captures a tender moment from Christian iconography. Creti, a leading figure in late Baroque Bologna, was renowned for his graceful history paintings and preparatory sketches influenced by the Carracci legacy. Created sometime between 1651 and1700—likely during his early career—this work depicts the Virgin Mary, Christ Child, Saint Anne, and a mysterious female head in profile, evoking the warmth of familial devotion central to Counter-Reformation art. Executed in pen and brown ink on laid paper, the modest 19.6 x 17.1 cm sheet showcases Creti's mastery of fluid line work. Brown ink allowed for subtle tonal variations and expressive hatching, ideal for studies that bridged studio preparation and finished compositions. Such drawings were prized in 17th-century Italy for their spontaneity, often serving as models for paintings or engravings in workshops. Housed in the National Gallery of Art as a gift from Elizabeth Miles Cooke in memory of Hereward Lester Cooke, this attribution highlights Creti's enduring appeal among collectors. It invites visitors to appreciate the intimate scale and devotional intimacy that defined Baroque devotional art, bridging the spiritual and the artistic in Bologna's vibrant tradition.