Mary with baby Jesus 

Bartolomeo Schedoni created this drawing of Mary with the baby Jesus using pen and brown ink, with a brown wash over traces of black chalk. The figures emerge from the light ground through layered strokes. Observe how the contrasting areas of light and shadow create a palpable sense of volume. The composition directs our attention to the maternal gaze, which softens what might otherwise be a rather austere image. Schedoni’s technical prowess is on display here through the expert modulation of ink wash to model form. Yet the drawing also unsettles traditional notions of devotional art. The figures are placed asymmetrically within the frame, creating a sense of dynamic imbalance that resists the harmony often associated with religious iconography. The very act of drawing, with its emphasis on line and surface, challenges the illusionistic aspirations of painting. It invites us to reconsider the relationship between art and devotion, image and belief.