Here attributed by Fred R. Kline to

Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)

Holy Child

Red chalk(selectively wetted), over some traces of stylus around profile, with sepia ink passages, and traces of a sepia ink framing outline along the edges, on unprepared laid paper.

5 ¼ x 4 ¼ inches (133 x 108 mm.)

Watermark: A partial sun symbol: the remaining left half of a sun lying within a remaining left half of a circle; the sun’s rays are represented by three block-like triangular shapes.

Inscription lower left recto: in dark gray ink, "Barache"( probably an early attribution to Federico Barocci (1535-1612); an unrelated passage in sepia ink which underlies “Barache” suggests a fingertip; another part of the sepia ink passage, possibly a notation, has been cut off at the lower left corner.

Condition: Good.  No made up areas.  Conserved by Marjorie Shelley, Metropolitan Museum of Art: several backings and antique mount removed (verso of the drawing is blank); minor repair made by MS of old previously repaired tear at upper right in the forehead area and also repair of a small hole lower right in the margin.  MS found nothing to contradict Fred Kline’s suggested circa 1475-1500 age of the paper.

Provenance:  Private Collection to Christie’s East Auction, New York/Old Masters, Etc. /5.23.2000 /Lot 34: as “Attributed to Annibale Carracci” to Collection of Fred & Jann Kline, Santa Fe to Private Collection.