Study 

Curator: Look at this lovely page of studies attributed to Bartolomeo Pinelli. The inscription suggests these were drawn *d'après nature à Rome*—from life in Rome. Editor: It feels so...sketchy. Like a fly-on-the-wall glimpse into a past life. A romantic's brain, overflowing with half-formed ideas. What catches my eye is the immediacy of it. Curator: Precisely! Consider the materiality of this page. Pencil and watercolor on paper. Basic materials used to document what are probably Roman *cippari*, or folk musicians, in all their costumed glory. There's an attention here not just to their appearance, but their instruments too. Editor: Instruments! Of course. The one fellow is almost lost in his bagpipes. The air itself probably vibrating with his song. Then you see this person off to the side, her eyes seem to gaze in an other direction. Her pensive glance suggests an almost literary potential. Curator: And did you notice the repeated motifs in terms of clothing and adornments? Headwear in particular; there's an intentionality here that's focused on details to the materiality of these cultural icons. Not idealized figures, but real people whose lived experiences included these details of dress. Editor: That makes sense. The choice of pencil, paper, and watercolor really highlights that feeling of intimacy. Quick to deploy. The paper too—its texture invites touch, doesn't it? I can almost feel the tooth of the paper catching the pencil. Curator: It truly captures something raw, beyond what you find in highly finished works. These characters appear alive. These people’s lives as working performers becomes tangible here. Pinelli shares an honest documentation in this single page. Editor: Well, this certainly sparked a lot of questions. Curator: Agreed. It’s a welcome chance to pause, imagine, and hear the sounds of this visual study.