This drawing once belonged to the Haarlem artist Hendrik Goltzius (1558-1617). In 1590 he travelled to Rome to study the work of the great Italian masters. He probably received the drawing, a study for a painting in Orvieto cathedral, personally from Frederico Zuccaro. Goltzius’
stepson, Jacob Matham (1571-1631), later used the drawing as a design for an engraving.