Sketches of Virgin and Child

Description

This sheet of sketches was drawn from imagination in preparation for a painting. Here, the artist explored five different ways to capture the motion of a restless child enfolded in its mother’s embrace. Blue-gray papers like this were made from indigo-dyed rags and typically used for drawings by 16th-century Venetian artists such as Giulio Campi to study the painterly effects of light and shade.

Provenance

Jonathan Richardson, Sr., London (Lugt 2183, lower right, in black ink; Lugt 2983-2984 or possibly John Barnard mount and inscription?, verso of old mount (now removed), upper center, written in ink: L. 74. / G.) . [FritzRoy Carrington]

Sketches of Virgin and Child

Giulio Campi

1550–1600

Accession Number

1924.1002

Medium

black chalk; framing lines in traces of gold ink

Dimensions

Sheet: 20.3 x 13.4 cm (8 x 5 1/4 in.)

Classification

Drawing

Museum

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, United States

Credit Line

Dudley P. Allen Fund