Skip to Main Content
Skip Nav Destination

The presence of a pentimento, underlying artwork or an underdrawing initiated during the early stages of the execution of a painting, which has been subsequently covered over by later changes in the superficial artwork, is confirmation of the originality of an artwork and has been used to differentiate between an original and a later copy. When a pentimento is also coupled with historical provenancing and analytical scientific data concerning the pigments and associated materials comprising the artwork, then the maximum amount of information is assured for an attribution. As an exemplar, the de Brécy Tondo will be discussed; an oil painting of a Madonna and Child putatively attributed to Raphael and dating from ca. 1512. Despite the available historical provenancing supported by scientific analysis and crucially the observation of several pentimenti, this is still not universally acknowledged as an original art work and study for the Sistine Madonna, which Raphael painted in 1513. The crux of the matter devolves upon the role of pentimenti and their complementarity with independent scientific analytical information in establishing the originality of an oil painting – a holistic approach which would normally assure the acceptance of the originality of the artwork concerned.

You do not currently have access to this chapter, but see below options to check access via your institution or sign in to purchase.
Don't already have an account? Register
Close Modal

or Create an Account

Close Modal
Close Modal