A fine and contemplative 18th century Italian pastel on paper portrait of the Virgin in contemplation by an artist in the circle of Benedetto lute (1666-1724). This graceful, intimate and vibrantly coloured work has been sensitively rendered by the hand of a master artistThe soft, delicate and luminous Head of the Virgin demonstrates how well the medium of pastel painting can convey the contemplative nature of its subject.Benedetto Luti (1666 - 1724) Luti was a Florentine painter who trained under Anton Domenico Gabbiani before moving to Rome in 1690. He was elected to the Accademia di S. Luca in 1694 and quickly rose to prominence as one of the leading painters of the early eighteenth century. His earliest known work is God Cursing Cain (1692, Derbyshire, Kedleston Hall). In Rome, he worked for many...