A Portrait of a Queen and a Study of a Woman Seated on a Cloud; verso, Sleeping Figure 

Simone Cantarini created this drawing with red chalk on paper in the 17th century. The softness of the chalk allows for delicate lines and subtle gradations of tone, perfect for capturing the ephemeral quality of a figure seated on a cloud, and the portrait of the Queen. The texture of the paper also plays a role, its slight roughness catching the chalk and adding depth to the drawing. Drawings like this one were often made in preparation for larger paintings, and demonstrate the artist's skill in capturing the likeness of a subject or working through compositional ideas. Cantarini's use of red chalk, a relatively inexpensive material, suggests that this drawing may have been a study or a preliminary sketch. The presence of multiple figures on the same sheet of paper further supports this idea. By considering the materials and processes used to create this drawing, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the artist's working methods and the social context in which the artwork was produced.