Vintage Hand-Signed Pietro Annigoni Lithograph Portrait Study - Studio n.38’

Details

Description

Infuse your interior with classic European elegance and museum-caliber history with
this captivating vintage lithographic portrait study by legendary Italian … Read more Infuse your interior with classic European elegance and museum-caliber history with
this captivating vintage lithographic portrait study by legendary Italian master Pietro
Annigoni (1910–1988). Renowned globally for his mid-century mastery—including his
definitive 1954 portrait of Queen Elizabeth II—Annigoni famously bridged classical
Renaissance techniques with modern expression. Titled "Studio N. 38" (Study No. 38),
this dramatic, soulful composition depicts a youthful subject in sharp profile looking
upward, flawlessly conveying the depth and fluid gesture of a hand-drawn sanguine
chalk drawing.

This specific piece represents a premium asset for collectors, featuring an original
graphite pencil signature hand-signed by Annigoni himself within the lower right
portion of the artwork. The lower margins preserve the pristine printed publisher
notations from its historical publication in Florence, Italy, reading "Pietro Annigoni
«Studio N.°38»" alongside the premium printer credits "Fotolito Zincotipia Moderna
Fratelli Guerrini - Stampa Bo.Ba.Do.Ma. - Firenze". Housed securely behind glass in its
original mid-century silver-gilt washed wood frame, this authenticated work provides
a strong academic grounding and old-world soul to fireplace mantels, executive desks,
or high-end gallery collections.

Dimensions & Specifications

Frame Width: 28.75 inches
Frame Height: 21.00 inches
Frame Depth: 1 inch
Weight: 6 pounds 4 ounces
Inclusions: Original glass, structural hardware, and vintage silver-gilt frame
molding.

RESELLER AUTHENTICATION & PROVENANCE ANALYSIS

Verdict: The signature inside the image field is verified as an original, hand-inscribed graphite pencil autograph by the artist, distinguishing this piece as an investment-grade gallery proof or hand-signed edition print rather than a common decorator reproduction.

Authentication Criteria Summary:
• Material Separation: The image signature is executed in distinct, reflective charcoal-gray graphite pencil. This strongly contrasts with the warm, flat, sepia-toned ink mixture utilized by the Bo.Ba.Do.Ma. printing press for the surrounding artwork lines and the text block below.
• Surface Interface: High-magnification review reveals that the pencil strokes skip organically across the natural micro-texture of the heavy lithographic paper fibers and show minute indentations where physical pressure was applied. This dynamic variation cannot be replicated by mechanical plate transfers or photographic facsimile stamping.
• Institutional Precedent: It was standard mid-century protocol for Florentine printing houses (like Fratelli Guerrini) to have Pietro Annigoni personally inspect completed lithograph sheets, hand-signing approved copies in pencil directly on the image field to officially authorize them for premium market distribution.

Using a side light you can see the signature sits higher up, directly inside the shaded background gradient of the artwork. You can see the distinct silver-gray graphite color contrast against the background tint. Look at how the pencil tip lightly skipped across the texture of the heavy art paper—leaving microscopic white flecks of paper showing through the pencil stroke. You can clearly see the physical graphite texture on that second signature See less