Christ before Herod c. 1591

Jacopo Ligozzi’s “Christ before Herod” was likely made with pen and brown wash, heightened with white gouache, over black chalk. Ligozzi was a master draughtsman, and this work demonstrates his fluency. It seems to be a preparatory drawing, perhaps for a print or painting. We can see Ligozzi thinking through the composition using thin strokes of black chalk, creating a sense of depth through the application of brown wash, and adding highlights with white gouache to create drama. The layering of materials helps to evoke a sense of theatricality. Herod sits enthroned like a grand stage, and the drawing itself becomes a study in power and authority. It’s interesting to consider that this highly skilled, labor-intensive drawing may have been a means to an end, a step in a longer process of image production. Ligozzi has transformed relatively humble materials into a vehicle for powerful storytelling.