Blind Leading the Blind

This second version of Blind Leading the Blind, held at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts in Birmingham, documents the multiple repetitions that Fetti's parable compositions generated. The existence of several versions across European collections — Dresden and Birmingham among them — confirms that collectors prized these small, moralizing narrative paintings and that demand exceeded what the artist alone could supply. The Barber Institute's version in oil paint on panel offers comparison with the Dresden work, revealing the subtle variations that distinguish autograph repetitions from workshop productions. The Barber Institute's distinguished collection of European painting acquired this work as part of its commitment to Baroque representation.

Comparison between the Dresden and Barber Institute versions reveals subtle compositional adjustments and differences in light handling. This version's oil paint handling shows confident, direct brushwork in the figures. The warm tonal scheme typical of Fetti's palette is maintained throughout, ensuring the Birmingham version reads as a coherent repetition rather than a pale copy.