Study for the Age of Silver
by CORTONA, Pietro da, Red and black pencil on waxed paper, 350 x 246 mm
The four scenes of the Age of Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron painted by Pietro da Cortona for the Medici in 1637 and 1641 in the Stanza della Stufa in the Pitti Palace, together form the first great masterpiece of Baroque painting. Numerous drawings by Pietro for the frescoes and plasterwork in Pitti Palace exist including this sketch.