A Portrait of a Queen and a Study of a Woman Seated on a Cloud; verso, Sleeping Figure 

This red chalk drawing by Simone Cantarini, a prominent artist of the Baroque period, features a study of a woman's head, likely a queen, and another study of a seated figure on a cloud, all executed with a loose, expressive hand. The artist's interest in capturing the human form, particularly the head, is evident in the meticulous detail and subtle modeling of the woman's face. The unfinished nature of the drawing, with the lower right corner cut out, suggests that it was likely a preliminary sketch or preparatory study for a larger work. The drawing's composition, featuring multiple studies on a single sheet, reflects the common practice of artists during the Baroque period, who often utilized drawings as tools for exploration and experimentation.