Juxtaposed Heads of a Young Man and a Boy

This 1727 head study of a Young Man and a Boy in the Royal Collection captures two figures who likely served as studies for specific roles in a larger narrative composition. The pairing suggests a generational relationship—master and apprentice, teacher and student, father and son—though the exact intended context remains unidentified. Ricci's late studies show a refinement of technique achieved over six decades: the paint applied with economy and certainty, each brushstroke registering form and light simultaneously. The Royal Collection's comprehensive holdings of Ricci's studies give unusual insight into the preparatory process of a major Baroque decorator working in the tradition of Tiepolo's predecessor.

The two youthful heads are painted with directness and warmth, Ricci's fluid brushwork capturing the freshness of young features with confident, economical strokes.