Six hours of the day and night

Michelangelo Maestri is mainly known for his bodycolours that he based on the then only recently discovered wall frescos in Pompeii. The drawings, which are often over etched outlines became very popular amongst travellers on their Grand Tour. Besides Roman frescos, the artist also drew inspiration from Renaissance artists such as Giulio Romano (circa 1499-1546) and Raphael Sanzio da Urbino (1483-1520). The works in the current lot are from the very popular series of The hours of Day or Night, and are thought to be based on works by Raphael, however the originals are no longer known.