A Fantastic Winged Sea-Horse

Janos Scholz acquired the drawing in 1950, probably with an attribution to Perino del Vaga, which Bernice Davidson, however, did not support (unpublished opinion recorded in departmental file, 1964). She later tentatively seconded Philip Pouncey’s suggestion (unpublished opinion recorded in departmental file, 1965) that the drawing is an early work by Francesco Salviati and the drawing has since been published as such.

More recently, William Griswold noted that the drawing appears to be by the same hand as a sheet of studies drawn in black and red chalk depicting a dragon attacking a lion, fantastic animals and two running figures.¹ Griswold further proposed that two drawings of Saint George and the Dragon – one in the Cleveland, also in red and black chalk, the other in Haarlem, in black chalk – are probably also by the same hand, which may well be that of Marco Pino.² The reminiscences of Beccafumi and Sienese art in general found in the background of the Cleveland drawing lend support to this hypothesis.

There exists a pen-and-ink copy of the Morgan drawing that appeared at auction with an ascription to the circle of Perino del Vaga.³

Footnotes:

1. Sotheby’s, London, 11 July 2001, lot 24.
2. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, inv. 1992.60; Teylers Museum, Haarlen, inv. I 54. See van Tuyll 2000, 175-76, no. 110 (as Marco Pino).
3. Christie’s, New York, 22 January 2003, lot. 8.