Group of Angel Musicians 1551 - 1629

Avanzino Nucci made this drawing of a Group of Angel Musicians in pen and brown ink with brown wash over black chalk. Nucci was a skilled draftsman, and here he’s using pen and wash, a technique that allows for a wide range of tonal effects. Look closely and you’ll see the variation in the line work and shading, from delicate outlines to deep shadows. This required immense hand-eye coordination and careful layering of the washes. The sepia tones are very typical of drawings from this period, reflecting the materials that were then available to artists. We can also consider the amount of time and skill it took to create this drawing. In the 16th and 17th centuries, artists were often commissioned to create preparatory studies like this for larger paintings or frescoes. Such drawings allowed them to work out the composition and details before embarking on a more ambitious project. Drawings like this one remind us that the artistic process is not always about grand gestures, but often consists of quiet, focused labor. It’s through understanding the materials and techniques involved that we gain a deeper appreciation for the artist’s skill and vision.