Madonna and Child with Three Saints n.d.

Pierre Hubert Subleyras made this drawing, Madonna and Child with Three Saints, using pen and brown ink with gray wash over graphite on cream laid paper. The choice of these accessible materials speaks to the work’s purpose as a study, where the artist works through initial ideas. Subleyras uses the qualities of the materials to create depth and volume. Notice how the gray wash, applied with a brush, builds up shadows and models the figures, giving them a sense of weight. Pen and ink define the contours and finer details, from the folds of the drapery to the facial expressions of the saints. The layering of these materials reveals Subleyras's skillful technique. Drawings like this reflect the labor involved in artistic production. Each line, each stroke of the brush, represents time and effort. Appreciating the materiality and making of a drawing allows us to see the artist’s process and understand the choices that went into creating the final image.