Head and Shoulders of Veiled Woman c. 1700

Sebastiano del Piombo made this drawing of a veiled woman, using black chalk on paper, sometime in the 16th century. Chalk is a relatively direct medium. Each line and stroke leaves a visible trace of the artist's hand. You can see how he has used the chalk to create a sense of volume and depth, especially in the folds of the veil. The dense concentration of marks around the contours of the face create a strong contrast, making the figure stand out against the more softly rendered background. Note the direction and density of the marks themselves, and how they change across the surface of the paper. This isn't just a representation of a woman, but a record of labor - of the artist's focus, and skill. Paying attention to the material qualities of artworks like this allows us to appreciate the skill and effort involved in their creation, and to move beyond traditional distinctions between drawing and painting, craft and art.