Madonna, Child, and Saint John 1600 - 1700

This anonymous red chalk drawing from the 17th century depicts the Madonna and Child with St. John the Baptist. The work is a study for a larger composition, possibly a painting. The figures are rendered with a sense of movement and emotion, and the delicate lines of the chalk create a sense of depth and dimension. This drawing offers a glimpse into the creative process of a 17th-century artist, illustrating the development of a composition through preliminary sketches.