Watermark: laid down.
Formerly attributed to Parmigianino.
The attribution of this unusual sheet executed in shades of blue is based on its close similarity with another drawing devoted to the story of Ceres in the Kupferstichkabinett, Dresden, which is signed by the artist and dated 1551. The present drawing likely dates to the same period, when Rochetel was working at the royal court at Fontainebleau alongside Francesco Primaticcio. Like many of the drawings produced at Fontainebleau in the sixteenth century, this sheet was long considered to be by a follower of Parmigianino until Sylvie Beguin identified it as by Rochetel in 1981.
Inscribed on verso in graphite, at upper center, "Parma/1510-1559-/? Scol (scuola) di Geronimo Mazzuoli"; in pen and brown ink, on lines of graphite, two stanzas, in Latin, from Book V of Ovid's "Metamorphoses" "Quai draper ferras..."
Parmigianino, 1503-1540, Formerly attributed to.
Reynolds, Joshua, Sir, 1723-1792, former owner.
Warwick, George Guy Greville, Earl of, 1818-1893, former owner.
Murray, Charles Fairfax, 1849-1919, former owner.
Morgan, J. Pierpont (John Pierpont), 1837-1913, former owner.