Judith and Holofernes 

Hans von Aachen made this drawing, Judith and Holofernes, with pen and brown ink, heightened with white gouache, over black chalk. The physical qualities of the drawing material – the way the ink bleeds into the paper, the grain of the chalk showing through – these all contribute to the drama of the scene. Look at the economical lines of the underdrawing in black chalk: this stage is all about getting the figures in place. Then, the artist applies the pen and ink, fixing those initial gestures with a more unforgiving line. He has also used white gouache, a kind of opaque watercolor, to pick out the highlights. Notice how the white heightening describes the contours of Holofernes’ body, or Judith’s dress. Von Aachen’s methods were not unusual, but highly skilled; a combination of planning and improvisatory verve. Drawings like this, though often considered preparatory for paintings, were also sold as artworks in their own right. By considering the materiality of the drawing, we appreciate the artist's craft and creative choices.