Oil on canvas sketch,
19th century Italy.
What appears to be a normal family scene
of girls playing is actually
a preparatory study by an unknown artist.
In the painting, the artist focuses on the girl's face,
painting her from various angles,
focusing on facial details and her hairstyle.
The sequence begins with the girl standing in the background, only sketched and
almost covered by the undercoat for subsequent tests.
Indeed, in the fourth and final girl painted on the right,
the painter has outlined what his choices will likely be,
enriching the face and hair with details and nuances.
The images of the seated children are only sketched.
Gilded wooden frame with small defects.
The canvas alone measures 93 cm high and 67 cm wide.
