Study for the Virgin Annunciate 1529 - 1530

Camillo Boccaccino made this study for The Virgin Annunciate on paper, using pen, brown ink, and white gouache. Note the thinness of the paper, which would allow the light to come through, almost like a stained glass window. Boccaccino built up the image through layers of drawing; you can see the hatching marks made by the pen. And he brought the figures to life with highlights of white gouache. These are relatively traditional materials, but there’s a clear sense of process. The study is not intended as a finished artwork, but as a way of experimenting with composition and form. This was part of the broader workshop culture, where artists would use drawings to develop their ideas, and to train apprentices in the art of representation. By focusing on the materials and the making, we can appreciate this artwork not just as a religious image, but as a record of creative labor.