Getty Museum

Portraits of Serafino and Francesco Falzacappa

Date

about 1720

Medium

Black chalk, pen and brown ink

Culture

Italian

Department

Drawings

Institution

Getty Museum

On the right side of this drawing, Serafino Falzacappa practices writing his name, while in the middle, his older brother Francesco grasps a hefty book in his small hands. The boys are not dressed for a formal portrait, and seem at ease in a comfortable environment, which lends a sense of immediacy to the drawing. Inkpots and quill pens stand ready for the boys' use. Pier Leone Ghezzi, more known today for his caricature drawings, recorded a scene from daily life in the 1700s that is as familiar and meaningful as any modern portrait of children. Ghezzi probably made this engaging scene in a quiet moment while visiting the Falzacappa family, who were his longtime patrons.

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