Apollo and Coronis. 1652 - 1725

Giovanni Battista Foggini created this drawing of Apollo and Coronis using pen and brown ink with brown wash on paper. Foggini’s hand guides the pen to create both delicate lines and sweeping curves. It’s these variations that describe the figures and the surrounding landscape. The brown wash adds depth, creating shadows that emphasize the drama of the scene, and the immediacy of the moment in the myth it captures. The deliberate application of ink and wash highlights the artist's mastery, reflecting the artistic traditions of the late Baroque period in Italy. There is both artistry and draftsmanship, but the drawing also has an urgency to it – visible in the hatching that defines the contours of the figures. Ultimately, the drawing is a testament to Foggini’s skill, and to the enduring power of classical narratives in European art. It’s a reminder that the most profound stories can be told with even the simplest of materials.