Head of a Youth 1595 - 1605

Cristoforo Roncalli made this drawing, Head of a Youth, with red chalk sometime between the late 16th and early 17th centuries. It shows a young man with his head tilted down and his eyes closed. Roncalli, who was working in Italy, was very interested in the classical art of ancient Greece and Rome. He wasn't alone in this: many artists at that time studied classical sculpture, trying to bring back the ideas of beauty and harmony that were important to Renaissance art. Roncalli had an important role in the Catholic Church. In fact, he worked a lot for wealthy patrons in Rome and other places. His art often showed religious themes and powerful figures, so it was often used as propaganda by the church. To fully understand this drawing, we have to look closely at the social and cultural context in which Roncalli worked. We need to examine his role as a painter for the Catholic Church, as well as the rediscovery of classical art. Art history can only be properly understood through a detailed study of original documents and institutional history.