Standing male with a hoe 1601 - 1661

Francesco Montelatici made this drawing of a standing man with a hoe in the 17th century, using pen and brown ink on laid paper. The quick, gestural marks, and visible hatching show the artist working out the figure’s pose and proportions. The type of paper used, laid paper, was common at the time. It has a ribbed texture created during the paper making process, visible in the artwork as subtle lines. The use of these widely available materials connects the drawing to the workshop practices of the time. It signals its function as a preparatory sketch, rather than a finished artwork intended for display. Consider also what the artwork depicts: not a nobleman or mythological hero, but a common laborer. Montelatici elevates the working class through skillful rendering of the figure, demonstrating that drawings of everyday subjects can possess the same artistic merit as more traditionally celebrated themes. In doing so, he blurs the boundaries between genre and fine art.