Den hellige Antonius med Jesus-barnet på hånden 1637 - 1640

This is a preliminary sketch by Massimo Stanzione for his painting “Saint Anthony with the Child Jesus.” Created in 1637-40, it is a study in black chalk, a drawing medium that allows for subtle shading and detail, now housed at the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen, Denmark. The sketch shows Saint Anthony, a figure easily recognizable by the halo around his head, in a simple gesture, and a small child, perhaps Christ. It shows the artist’s compositional process in developing his final painting, demonstrating his mastery of anatomical detail and artistic form.