Saint Charles Borromeo 1575 - 1662

This drawing of Saint Charles Borromeo, a prominent figure in the Counter-Reformation, was created by Italian artist Giovanni Battista Crespi, known as "Il Cerano", between 1575 and 1662. The work, created in brown wash on paper, depicts the saint in a three-quarter-length standing pose, his hand raised in blessing, and holding a book. The strong lines of the drawing and the use of chiaroscuro, a technique of strong contrasts between light and dark, lend a powerful and devotional quality to this representation of the venerated archbishop.