Study for 'The Dream of Saint Joseph' 1635 - 1637

Pietro Testa made this drawing, a study for 'The Dream of Saint Joseph', with pen and brown ink over traces of graphite. The drawing’s lines range from light and delicate, to bold and forceful, creating a dynamic tension across the composition. Look closely, and you can see how he built up the image through layering, with initial sketches providing a foundation for the more defined figures. The artist’s hand is ever-present in the varying pressure and speed of the pen strokes. Testa employed the traditional tools of pen, ink, and paper, to realize his vision of the subject. Note how the consistent use of line ties all the elements together, from the heavenly cherubs to the earthly figures. While drawings like this are often considered preliminary steps toward a final painting, the material qualities of ink on paper, combined with Testa’s skill, give this work its own compelling presence. It reminds us that so-called ‘craft’ media can be just as expressive as any other.