Seated Virgin and Child (recto); Seated Virgin and Child (verso) 1570 - 1590

Bernardino India made this drawing of the seated Virgin and Child using pen and brown ink in the 16th century. The fluidity of ink on paper allowed India to capture the figures with loose, expressive lines. The sketch-like quality speaks volumes about the Renaissance workshop. Drawing was a fundamental skill, not just for finished artworks but as a way to explore ideas and develop compositions. Here, the Virgin and Child are rendered with an economy of means, capturing their forms and relationship through a network of lines. The immediacy of the drawing invites us to consider the labor involved in artistic production during this period. Behind every grand painting or sculpture were countless hours of study, practice, and experimentation, often unseen by the public eye. Drawings like these offer a glimpse into that hidden world of craft and skill. They challenge our notions of artistic value, reminding us that even the simplest sketch can reveal the depth of an artist's knowledge and the complexity of their creative process.