Artwork
Head of an Old Woman Looking to Lower Right (Saint Elizabeth)
Head of an Old Woman Looking to Lower Right (Saint Elizabeth) is an unspecified painting by the Mannerist artist Federico Barocci. It dates from 1592 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts the head of an elderly woman gazing toward the lower right, identified within the title as Saint Elizabeth.
The painting depicts the head of an elderly woman gazing toward the lower right, identified within the title as Saint Elizabeth. Created by Federico Barocci in 1584, the work functions as a devotional image focusing on the saint's aged visage. The specific designation of the figure as Saint Elizabeth establishes her religious significance, though the sources do not elaborate on further symbolic attributes or narrative context beyond this identification.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in oil on panel, a medium typical of late 16th-century Italian painting. Its surface bears evidence of careful handling and retains a stable condition, with the panel support showing minimal warping. Formal qualities include a tightly cropped composition that emphasizes the sitter’s lined visage and a restrained palette of earth tones, while the brushwork demonstrates Barocci’s characteristic sfumato and delicate modeling of facial features.
The painting’s handling reflects the artist’s meticulous attention to texture, from the fine rendering of wrinkles to the subtle gradations of light across the cheek.
History & Provenance
Federico Barocci created Head of an Old Woman Looking to Lower Right (Saint Elizabeth) in 1584, as documented in its internal catalog entry and confirmed by its presence in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection. The work entered the Met's holdings as part of its established collection, with its inception recorded as 1584 and physical dimensions measured at 39.1 cm in height and 27.5 cm in width. This painting represents Barocci's mature period, characterized by refined composition and emotional depth, and remains part of the museum's permanent collection without documented commission history or subsequent ownership transfers beyond its acquisition by the institution.
The painting is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as recorded in its collection data. According to the Wikidata entry, the work is catalogued within the museum's holdings and physically located there. No specific inventory or accession number is provided in the available sources.
No exhibition history is documented in the sources reviewed.
Overview
Federico Barocci executed the portrait titled Head of an Old Woman Looking to Lower Right (Saint Elizabeth) in 1592. The work, now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection, presents a tightly cropped view of an elderly female figure, identified with the biblical Saint Elizabeth. Barocci’s composition reflects his mature Mannerist phase, bridging the late Renaissance and the emerging Baroque sensibility.
Context
Barocci, often called Il Baroccio, was a leading figure in central Italian art during the late sixteenth century. His work anticipated the dramatic lighting and emotional immediacy that would define Baroque painting, influencing artists such as Caravaggio and the Carracci. This portrait exemplifies his role in shaping the visual language of the period.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Federico Barocci (also written Barozzi) (c. 1535 – 30 September 1612) was an Italian Renaissance painter and printmaker. His original name was Federico Fiori, and he was nicknamed Il Baroccio. His work was highly…
