Landscape with Mountains 1575 - 1633

Antonio d'Enrico Tanzio, also known as Tanzio da Varallo, created this landscape with mountains using red chalk on paper. The earthiness of the chalk mirrors the subject, a rugged mountain range rendered with flowing lines. The artist’s hand is evident in the expressive strokes, a traditional method of sketching during the 16th and 17th centuries, that allowed for the quick capture of form and light. Drawings like this were not made for public display, they are more for internal consumption and reflection. What’s fascinating is the economy of means. The image, rendered in a reddish hue, speaks volumes about the terrain—its textures, its peaks, and valleys. This directness invites us to consider the labor embedded within the landscape itself, both the geological forces that formed the mountains, and the human toil involved in inhabiting and traversing it. By focusing on process and material, we move beyond the image to consider the wider cultural and historical context that shaped both artist and subject.