October Auction
October Auction
Lot 183: After Leonardo da Vinci, A. J. Testelin, Head of Christ, Brera, Milan
2026-10-24T15:00:00Z
Start price: CAD $50
Lot 183:
After Leonardo da Vinci, A. J. Testelin, Head of Christ, Brera, Milan
Description
Watercolour and pastel on paper, likely late 19th or early 20th century. A study after the celebrated Head of Christ associated with Leonardo da Vinci and preserved in the Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan. Signed A. J. Testelin and inscribed Brera, Milan, suggesting that it was executed while studying the original in the museum.
Closely related in scale, medium and colouring to the Brera composition, the work captures the expression, downcast eyes and softly modelled features of Christ. Leonardo’s original was traditionally regarded as a preparatory study for the central figure in The Last Supper, although its precise authorship has subsequently been debated and associated with an artist from his immediate Milanese circle.
An evocative testament to Leonardo’s enduring influence and to the academic tradition of artists copying celebrated Renaissance masterpieces directly from museum collections.
Signed and inscribed lower right: A. J. Testelin / Brera, Milan.
Sight dimensions: 18 x 14 in. (45.7 x 35.6 cm), framed to 27.5 inches H x 24 W.
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