Design for a Tomb with Herms and a Niche with a Bust Portrait 1500 - 1600

This drawing, made by an anonymous artist, depicts a design for a tomb using pen and brown ink on paper. The artist has used the most basic of materials to create the drawing. Notice how the pen strokes, with their varying thickness, create a sense of depth and volume. The artist uses hatching and cross-hatching to build up shadows and define the forms of the tomb's architectural elements and sculptural details, such as the herms, portrait bust and skull. The paper itself provides a neutral ground, allowing the ink to stand out. In the Renaissance, drawing was a fundamental skill for artists, architects, and craftsmen. This drawing may have been produced in a workshop setting, where apprentices would have been trained in the art of design. While seemingly simple, the drawing depends on immense skill to execute properly. Consider this work a testament to the power of simple materials, to convey complex ideas. It challenges our traditional notions of what constitutes high art.