The Assumption of the Saint Mary Magdalen 1700 - 1739

Cosmas Damian Asam rendered "The Assumption of the Saint Mary Magdalen" in red chalk and graphite on paper. But the real interest here is in the grid, faintly visible underneath the drawing, and in the numbering along the top and right edges. This tells us that the drawing was preparatory: it was meant to be transferred to another surface, presumably at a larger scale. This gridded process, common in workshops of the period, allowed artists to manage complex projects, where labor might be divided amongst assistants. The drawing itself would have been made by a skilled hand, but its purpose was industrial: to facilitate the efficient production of a final artwork, perhaps a fresco. Note how the chalk medium lends itself to quick, expressive strokes, ideal for capturing the dynamism of the scene. Next time you encounter a highly-finished Baroque painting, remember that its creation depended on many hours of unseen work, just like this sketch. It reminds us to look beyond the surface and appreciate the full story of an artwork’s making.