A Swiss Guard before an Ornamental Arch (recto) 1568

Abraham Bickhart made this drawing of a Swiss Guard in the 16th century, using pen and ink, heightened with white, on a prepared red ground. The red ground is not just a backdrop; it’s integral to the image itself. Look closely, and you’ll see how Bickhart left areas of the paper untouched. The red tone thus becomes the mid-tone of the composition, with the white heightening creating highlights, and the ink defining contours. This reductive approach, where the ground is actively incorporated, has a long history in drawing. But here, it also speaks to the subject. The Swiss Guard, often mercenaries, were a potent symbol of power and allegiance. By using this economical technique, Bickhart emphasizes the material reality of representation: how a few lines, strategically placed, can conjure an entire social world. It challenges our notion of value by showing how much can be achieved with limited means.