Study for the Christ Child in the Madonna of S. Simone (recto); Study of a Landscape (verso) c. 1567

Federico Barocci made this drawing of the Christ Child as a preparatory study for a larger altarpiece. The material is unassuming: black chalk on paper. Yet, it is precisely this humility that makes the drawing so appealing. Barocci coaxes a remarkable range of tones and textures from the chalk, from the soft, luminous flesh of the infant to the more roughly sketched background. You can almost feel the give of the paper, the way the chalk dusts its surface. Consider, too, the labor involved. Every line, every shadow, is the result of Barocci’s deliberate mark-making. This was not a quick sketch dashed off in a moment of inspiration. It was a careful, considered study, made in preparation for a more monumental work. In that sense, it has the feeling of craft. It is a beautiful testament to the power of simple materials, and the skill of the artist.