Virgin and Child with Saint Anna 1500 - 1600

This anonymous drawing, "Virgin and Child with Saint Anna", is a study in red chalk for a larger composition. Dating back to the 16th century, it depicts a common subject of Renaissance art: the Virgin Mary, her mother Saint Anna, and the Christ Child. The figures are rendered with delicate lines and subtle shading, characteristic of preparatory sketches for finished paintings. This small-scale work, now housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, offers a glimpse into the creative process of an unknown artist working within the artistic traditions of the Italian Renaissance.