Among the highlights of Christie’s January 31 sale is a new discovery, a squared preparatory drawing by Primaticcio (1504- 70), below left, for the major commission that occupied him for the last years of his life, the fresco of the Galerie d’Ulysse at the Château of Fontainebleau.
The decoration was destroyed in 1738 so our knowledge of it relies on the surviving preparatory drawings and prints. The classical subject of this 10 x 6½in (25 x 16.5cm) chalk, ink and wash work on paper inscribed Bologne upper right is thought to be either Polymester killing Polydorus or King Priam and Simon.
It comes from a 17th century French collection of drawings and has passed down by descent to the vendor. The estimate is $100,000-150,000.