Studies of Hands Playing Instruments (verso)

Giovanni Battista Piazzetta

Cleveland Museum of Art

The image depicts a sketch of four hands playing musical instruments. The sketch is drawn on off-white paper with a subtle texture. The paper is divided into two sections by a horizontal crease down the middle. The top section features two hands; the left hand is positioned with the wrist on the left and the fingers extending to the upper right. The right hand is drawn with the wrist on the left and the fingers curled inward, as if holding something. The bottom section also features two hands; the left hand grasps an object, possibly a bow, with the wrist on the left and the fingers on the right. The right hand is drawn with the fingers and wrist extending to the lower right. A circular blue stamp is located in the upper-right corner, and a circular brown stamp is in the lower-left corner. A red signature or notation appears in the lower-right corner. The background of the image is a plain off-white color.