The earliest work in the show is Fra Angelico’s detailed head study The Bust of a Cleric, c.1447–50, thought to have been done in preparation for his frescos in the chapel of Pope Nicolas V in the Vatican.
There is a chalk study of an ostrich, c.1550 attributed to Titian, on display in Britain for the first time, and ‘A costume study for a masque’ by Leonardo da Vinci, c.1517–18 which shows the ribbons, scalloping, plumes, spotted furs, and quilted sleeves and breeches of the court of the French king, Francis I.
The exhibition is intended to introduce visitors to works by lesser-known artists on display for the first time, including Paolo Farinati’s c.1590 study of three mythological figures under an arch, and an ink study of St Jerome by Bartolomeo Passarotti, c.1580.
Some works have signs of being hung at some point in history before, including light damage and the remnants of fly excrement.
Giovanni Bellini’s The Head of an Old Man, c.1460–70, has holes at the edges from being tacked to a panel, with its blue paper showing discolouration from exposure to light.
Drawing the Italian Renaissance will open at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace from Nov 1 2024 to March 9 2025.
