Attributed to Bernardino Gatti, il Sojaro (Pavia circa 1495-16 Cremona)

In style and subject, the present drawing is remarkably similar to Gatti's studies for his fresco cycle of Apostles in the cupola of Santa Maria della Steccata, Parma, where he worked from 1559. Drawings for this commission, which show markedly similar figures with raised heads, were sold in these Rooms on 8 December 1981, lot 27, and on 3 July 1984, lot 15, the latter as part of the Chatsworth sale. Other similar drawings remain at Chatsworth (inv. 329, 331 and 332) and in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford (inv. WA1939.86).