Giovanni Batissta Cipriani, Drawing of a young man, late eighteenth century

Beautiful drawing in pencil and red chalk depicting the face of a melancholic young man. Giovanni battista cipriani ra (1727 – 14 december 1785) was an italian painter and engraver, who lived in england from 1755. He first studied with ignatius hugford, a florentine artist of english origin, and then with anton domenico gabbiani. He spent the years 1750-53 in rome, where he met the architect, sir william chambers, and the sculptor, joseph wilton, whom he accompanied to england in august 1755. He painted part of a ceiling at buckingham house, and a room with poetic subjects at standlynch in wiltshire. He is widely used by publishers, for whom he makes drawings in pen and ink, sometimes colored. His friend francesco bartolozzi engraved most of them. Cipriani was a founding member (1768) of the royal academy, whose diploma he designed. Some of his drawings are on display at the british museum and the victoria and albert museum. Some slight spots of light. Setting of the time. From an old private collection.