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The image is a sketch of two abstract figures intertwined, drawn with dark ink on a blue paper background. The figures are composed of swirling lines and shapes, making it difficult to distinguish specific details like facial features or clothing. They appear to be in motion, interacting closely with each other. There are no discernible accessories or objects in the sketch. The background is plain blue paper, providing contrast to the dark ink lines of the drawing.
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The image is a sketch of two abstract figures intertwined, drawn with dark ink on a blue paper background. The figures are composed of swirling lines and shapes, making it difficult to distinguish specific details like facial features or clothing. They appear to be in motion, interacting closely with each other. There are no discernible accessories or objects in the sketch. The background is plain blue paper, providing contrast to the dark ink lines of the drawing.

National Gallery of Art · Drawing

An Elegantly Dressed Woman Struggling with a Lion

Francesco Guardi

Date
1780/1785
Medium
pen and brown ink on blue paper with white heightening
Dimensions
sheet: 16.9 × 12.7 cm (6 5/8 × 5 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Accession number
2008.42.1
Credit line
Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund
Time span
1776 to 1800
Department
CG-E
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • Baroque
  • profane
  • secular
  • Venice
  • Russia
Provenance

Henry Oppenheimer [1859-1932], London; (his sale, Christie's London, 10 July 1936, no. 90a); Bittner Collection; Janos Scholz [1903-1993], New York; Mrs. Eugene Victor Thaw, New York, by 1960; (Yvonne Ffrench Gallery, London, 1968); Jacques Petit-Hory, Paris [1929-1992] (not in Lugt); (with Jean-Pierre Selz, Paris); Jeffrey E. Horvitz, Beverly Farms, MA; purchased 2008 by NGA.

Inscription

in brown ink on verso: slight sketch of old woman's head; by later hand in graphite, upper right verso: 11212(?)

NGA object ID 140454. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.