Boy Drinking

oil on canvasAnnibale Carracci (Italian, c. 1560–1609)/1582–83

Description

Together with his brother Agostino and cousin Lodovico, Annibale Carracci introduced artistic reforms in Italy based on close observation of the natural world. Annibale’s innovative and highly influential style steered a path between the smooth artificiality of Mannerism––in which style and technique took precedence over fidelity to nature––and the heightened drama of paintings by Caravaggio. In this remarkable early work, the coarse surface of the canvas, the inelegant subject matter, and the striking distortion of forms from light passing through glass all speak to his naturalistic approach.

Provenance

Lord Bateman, Shobdon Court, Herfordshire, England; [Sale: The Property of the Rt. Hon. Lord Bateman, Christie's London, April 11, 1896, lot 145 as Velazquez]; John Hill Wood (1813-1869), Gatehead, Yorkshire, England, by inheritance to his son Sir John Wood 1st Bt.; Sir John Wood 1st Bt. (1857-1951), Hengrave Hall, Bury St. Edmonds, Suffolk; [Sale: The Contents of Hengrave Hall, Knight, Frank and Rutley, London, September 15-25, 1952, lot 1686]; L. J. King, Esq., Dorchester, Dorset, by inheritance to his wife, Mrs. Mary King; Mrs. Mary King, Dorchester, Dorset, England; [Sale: Lawrence’s of Crewkerne, England]; [Sale: Old master Drawings and 17th, 18th and 19th century Oil Paintings, Bonhams, London, July 11, 1985, lot 5]; [Harari and [Derek] Johns, London, England, sold to Peter Jay Sharp]; Peter Jay Sharp (1931-1992), New York, NY; [Sale: The Estate Of Peter Jay Sharp, Sotheby's New York, January 13, 1994, lot 70, to the Cleveland Museum of Art]; The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH

Dimensions

55.8 × 43.7 cm

Source

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Movement / Period

European Painting and Sculpture

Accession No

1994.4

Official Citations

[The Cleveland Museum of Art Official Record][Full Resolution Image]

Curatorial Affinity Stream

Continuing the Universe of Annibale Carracci (Italian, c. 1560–1609)

European Painting and Sculpture • Italy, 16th century • Harmonious Works & Contemporaries

Continuous Discovery