Domenico Campagnola (Padua 1500-1564)

As already recognized in the 1930 auction catalogue (see Provenance), the graphic style of this rocky landscape is entirely characteristic of Domenico Campagnola’s draughtsmanship. The meticulous rendering of every detail, the gentle linear quality and the crosshatching in the shadowy areas betray Campagnola’s activities as a printmaker. Furthermore, the compositional qualities show the influence of the work of Titian, and of Giulio Campagnola (who adopted the young Domenico), to whom Domenico was greatly indebted. James Byam Shaw grouped the present drawing, which should be placed early in the artist’s career, with a sheet in the Frits Lugt Collection, Paris (inv. 1503) and with a signed drawing in the British Museum, London (inv. 1895-9-15-836; see K. Oberhuber, in Le Siècle de Titien, exhib. cat., Paris, Grand Palais, 1993, no. 107, ill.), pointing out the similarities in their style and ‘closed composition’ (Byam Shaw, op. cit., under no. 232). To this group can be added a stylistically very similar drawing in the Morgan Library and Museum, New York, bought by Pierpont Morgan as Giulio, but now given to Domenico (inv. I,59).