The Ratta "Sibyl": Replication in Domenichino’s Studio Hugh Brigstocke; Richard Spear Artibus et Historiae, Vol. 17, No. 34 (1996), 45: Stable URL hitp:/flinks.jstor-org/sicisici=0391-9064% 281996%29 17%3A34% 3CAS%3ATR% 22RID%3E2.0,CO%3B2-K Artibus et Historiae is currently published by IRSA se. Your use of the ISTOR archive indicates your acceptance of JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use, available at hup:/www,jstororglabout/terms.hml. ISTOR’s Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless you have obtained prior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you may use content in the JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial use. Please contact the publisher regarding any further use of this work. 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For more information regarding JSTOR, please contact support @ jstor.org. hupulwww jstor.org/ Sat Sep 24 08:26:49 2005HUGH BRIGSTOCKE, RICHARD SPEAR The Ratta Sibyl: Replication in Domenichino’s Studio ‘One of the highights of the recent Domerichino exhibition in Rome was the public display, for the fst time, of the aist's ‘Cumaean Sibyl painted for the Rata family in Bologna," This is the fourth of Domenichino's known Sibyls (the others are in the Borghese Galley? and the Pinacoteca Capitoina, Rome, and in the Wallace Collection, London‘), and itis virtually identical in design to ‘he Sibylin the Pinacoteca Capitofna from the Albergat collection, although i is more broadly handled. Malvasia infact refered to it as: “Una Stila mezza figura, ma cruda assai, in casa dei Signori Ratt, ed in casa Abergati una simi.” He again cited the picture in his lle ‘of Guercno who in 1638 pained a pendant to it which was paid for fat the beginning of 1639: “Una Sbila al sig, Ludovico atta Bolognese, pil solute, bizzarra, e ben tint, parm, dela compagna, del Domenichino, che volendo forzare il color, esarbits, © diede Iincrudo’$ ‘The Ratta Siby! remained in Bologna during the seventeenth ‘and eighteenth centuries, where it was recorded in 1752 by Sir Joshua Reynoids.® Half a century later it was admired by Mme. de SStael who personally identiied with Domenichino's prophetess ‘and cast her Corinne after Domerichino's image.” in note by Gaetano Giordani to the 1841 edition of Malvasia's Felsina Pittrice it was recorded that the Ratta Siby/“fu venduta pochi anni sono ad lun olognese negoziatore i quacsi per mile scud romani, questi la rivendette ad un forastiero per ole tre mila."® The forastioro was Sie James Camegie who bought the picture in 1824 during his Grand Tour and took it home to Scotland where itis cited in a manuscript catalogue of 1862 as having belonged to the Ratta collection ‘The modem rediscovery of the picture began in 1971 when one of the present writers (H. B.) found it hanging as an overdoor, ity ‘and forgotten, ina private collection. Impressed by the picture's uality, consistent in his view with an attribution to Domenichino, notwithstanding heavy overpainting (the picture is said to have been covered wih a landscape in the nineteenth century to expedte ts expo), and ater unraveling its provenance, he arranged to have i transferred to the National Galley of Scotland's conservation department for closer examination. Perhaps on account of is city and overpainted condiion, as well as its close proximity to the design of the celebrated Capltaline picture, Domenichino's Rata ‘Sibyl faled to atvact the endorsement of any of those who were con- Sulled at this juncture. The picture's owner, however, undeterred arranged for the picture to be cleaned and rehung. Here it fay atracted further favourable attention, frst from John Gash who in 1985, in a review of Spear’s Catalogue Raisonné, perceptively sug- gested it might be autograph rather than a copy and then in 1968 from dhilen Siock who also proposed taking it io Rome for a direct 45HUGH BRIGSTOCKE, RICHARD SPEAR LZE Sf 41) «The Persian Sibyl» by Domenichino. 79 x 69 cm. Wallace Collection, London.‘THE RATTA SIBYL: REPLICATION IN DOMENIGHINO'S STUDIO 2) X-ray of «The Persian Sibyl», Wallace Collection, London.HUGH BRIGSTOCKE, RICHARD SPEAR 3) Studies for «The Persian Sibyl». Red and black chalk on. white paper, 26.6 x 18.8 cm. Royal Library, Windsor Ca ‘conttontaton with the Capitoine version. Tis exercise took place on 26 March 1992 when Brigstocke, Spear, Stock and Eisa Titoni Mont, rector of the Pinacoteca Capitolina, studied the two pictures side by side and agreed that both are by Domenichino. This conciu- sion was confirmed at the Domenichino exhibiton in Rome i 1996. The present note offers a detaled summary of this comparison of the two versions, ampiiied by an analysis of their X-adiographs ‘which were commissioned in 1982 but have only recently been com- Pleted.'° A furher cimension is provided by an X-rachograph of the 48 4) Studies for «The Persian Sibyl»: Turban: Four Studies of Hands. Black chalk heightened with white on grey paper, 26.2 x24.em. Royal Library, Windsor Castle. Persian Sibyl in the Wallace Collection which was also undertaken {2 par, this investigation." Together allthis new technical evidence raises important questions about methods of replication in seven- teenth-contury studios and may even lead to the identiicaton of fu ther autograph repicas by Domenichino and other contemporary atts that hitherto, lke the Rata Sibyl, have been overooked oF too hastily witten of. ‘The Capitoline and Rata pictures are notin all respects ent ‘cal When soon side by side the Rata version appears to be sight'5) «The Cumaean Sibyl» by Domenichino. 195 x 103 em. Pinacoteca Capitolina, Rome. ly stronger in colouring and more freely and vigorously executed ‘han the more tghty drawn and refined Capitoine picture. The spa- tial relatonships between hands, draperies and hanging fabrics all ‘vary despite the apparently faithful replication of their overall designs. The architectural moulding in the background of the atta picture Is more elaborate and includes a cusped decorate corice immediately above and behind the Siby's head, which is absent from the plainer background of the Captoline version. On the other hand the peciment to the archtecural background of the Captoine ‘THE RATTA SIBYL: REPLICATION IN DOMENICHINO'S STUDIO 6) X-ray of «The Cumaean Sibyl». Pinacoteca Capitolina, Rome. picture is tale and rises higher In elation to the figure. The book ia the Captoine version has an eyelet on the let of the binding which is absent fom the Rata verson. On the ober hand the book inthe Rata picture has leather tassels not found on the Capitaine version. ‘The ltierng of the book in the ex Rata version has red inials. The letring in the Cape picture is all in black. The paring in the hair of the Ratta picure was altered from a verical postion to what we ow $28 as it leans towards one o'dock, where corresponds. with the Capitaine version. The antique jewelry inthe headdress of the 49HUGH BRIGSTOCKE, RICHARD SPEAR 7) X-ray of «The Cumacan Sibyl>, detal. Pinacoteca Capitolina, Rome.‘THE RATTA SIBYL: REPLICATION IN DOMENICHINO'S STUDIO 8) «The Cumaean Sibyl» by Domenichino, 132 x 100 em. Private Collection, Great Britain. 10) X-ray of «The Cumaean Sibyl», detail. Private Collection, Great Britain 9) X-ray of «The Cumaean Sibyl». Private Collection, Great Britain.HUGH BRIGSTOCKE, RICHARD SPEAR Siby\ in each picture is quite distinct. Simar variations are found in the embroidered decorations on the bosom of each Sibyl ‘The last word of the Grook insapton refering to the coming of Christ is misspet in the Capitaine version ATENHOE sic but is cor- rected to ATENHTOE in the Rata version, although here too the Incorrect speling was used fst and can be perceived quite dearly beneath the surface. The coracton in the atta picture appears to be original and authentic and not a later ation, The contours of the head of the Siby in the Rata picture have been reinforced with inci- sions in the paint stucture. There are also incisions in the cusped ecorative comice. This technique {s not evident in the Captoine version or any of the other Sibyis. Indeed It has never been noted in ‘any other painting by Domenichino. Recently made xadlographs shed further light on the intro pendence of these two version and the Wallace Sibyl. Most remark- ably, the contours and principal features of the heads in all three ‘canvases corespond so perfectly that some means of transfer must have been involved. Only the Wallace Sibyl, in xrays and to the raked eye, shows the kind of exploratory freedom and energy of ‘modeling that resut from the development of a new design, where as the later versions look comparatively effortless, as if Domenichino ‘were working from some sort of ricordo, cartoon, or tracing, The oo ‘rs are alke in the later versions, suggesting that they probably were together in the studio at some point And both pictures are painted (on a very simiar coarsely woven canvas, in contrast to the Wallace Picture where the canvas is much fighter and of finer texture * Pivateeallecten. Ol on canvas 132 x 100 em. Ths pcre was ds cussed and reproduced by. Spam, “Guero ‘pfx observations on Sudo practices and art marketing im Ema” in Burlington Magazine, vl (COG, September 1004, pp. 502 fg. 2 Thore he also arreunced our ‘lan to pubis the present study, once at th Xeays had boon assembled, See luther Domenichino 1581-7649, exhibten cataegue, Palazzo Venezia Rome, 1996-7, pp. 5455, no. 41 (saogued by R. Spear & H. Bigsock). 2, Spear Domenchino, 1982, wo. | pp. 191-3, no. St 3 Spear Domenichino, vel |, pp. 2323, 0. 80. Soe furhor Domenichino 1581-1641, extbtion catalogue, Palazzo Venezia, Rome, 19067, pp. 4523, no. 40 (eaalogued by FL Spear & H. Brgscck) were ‘he Greok inscription in bath vorsion is pint incorecty “Spear Domenchio, | po. 238, 1. 85. 5 For bah penzes see C. Mavasia: Felsina Ptice, 1678, 0. 16, Vek I, pp. 242 (rele 1), 2424 (ard role 2) ad 264. In he releerce In He of Guorcno on p. 204, te subject, patton and dalo are derived fram doc: Lumertaton in Guercno's howe, Bathe comet is Malvasas Onn. 52 Logicaly the Capitoline picture precedes the Rata version because of the Greek inscription that has been corrected in the lat: {er picture, Thus whereas the Ceptoine picture derives decty trom the Walace pictur, or some record of the head of the Rata Sibyl ‘could equally well have been traced from the Capitolne version. And While the incisions noted on the Ratia picture, but absent ftom the CCapitolne picture, might suggest some use of a tracing in estabish- ing the design ofthe Rata picture, they are inconclusive as evidence of a transier diecty from the Captoine pictur, since they are to be found not only in the contours of the head but aso in the upper part of the wall that is absent ftom the Capitoine version Ik seems tkely that all three pictures date fom the first half of the 16205. Drawings at Windsor for the Wallace Collecton picture show how the artss staring point was the younger, preter finer ‘ype of woman found in the Borghese Sibyl which had been com- pleted by 1617, and that he then went on to restudy the head, the ‘urban and the postion of her hands, before working up the overall design on the canvas itself which may dato from circa 1620."2 The CCapitoline and Ratta pictures probably folowed soon afterwards, ethaps circa 1622-25. According to Gualand’s note in the 1841 edi- tion of Malvasia, Domerichino painted the Ratta Siby/“Tuor icon trate” in order to efct payment from Ratta for the Madonna del Rosario which he commissioned from the arist in 1617 and which was finshed in Rome sometime around 1622.25." This fits perect ly with the chronology proposed here for the Wallace Collection, Capitine and Ratia Sibyis. © ©. R Lose and T Tayo. Life and Times of Sir Joshua Reynols 1965, vol p 478 7" See ‘Spear Domenichine, al. p. 232 ® Maivasia, op. ot, ve Ip. 2454, nate 2, and Spear, Domenchin, Vol p. 238, rte 3 8°. Gash ip Ar History, wok 8, no. 2, de 1985, pp. 250651 "© We are indebted tb St Dens Maton for ararging the X-ay of the Ccaptoine pcre which was finaly delivered in 1996. © Wie are indeed to Mr. Jn Ingamals who alowed us to bring the Fata Sty!’ the Walace Colecton for comparson, and or authorsing an ay of he Walco Sb "J PopeHennessy: Tho Drawings of Domenichino inthe Cllction of His Majesty the King at Windsor Caste, 1088 p44, ros. 21, 212, ard op. ol p 248 ree 2. For te Madonna de! Rosaro see ‘Spoar, Domenchino, ve I pp. 21616, na. 2.