Seated Woman in Profile, to Right n.d.

Domenico Fiasella created this drawing of a seated woman with chalk on blue paper, sometime in the 17th century. While the drawing evokes the artistic conventions of Renaissance Italy, the specific type of blue paper Fiasella used here came into vogue through the influence of the Carracci brothers. We know that the Accademia degli Incamminati, an art academy they founded in Bologna, promoted drawing on colored paper as a way of emulating the effects of classical sculpture. Fiasella's teacher, Giovanni Battista Paggi, adopted a similar method of instruction. The historical record tells us that Fiasella was a Ligurian artist, famous in his day. His paintings can be found in many churches across Liguria, and his drawings are held in major collections around the world. For us to fully understand the cultural significance of this drawing, we need to undertake further research, looking at how Fiasella's drawings circulated through a network of patrons, collectors, and connoisseurs in 17th century Italy.