Head of a Young Woman Looking to Lower Right 1565

Curator: Oh, this gives me a sense of quietude. She's got her eyes closed, or almost, a sweet repose… what’s your take? Editor: Well, Federico Barocci created this study, "Head of a Young Woman Looking to Lower Right," around 1565. It’s currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Barocci, deeply rooted in the Italian Renaissance, employs charcoal and pencil in this drawing. Curator: Charcoal and pencil, a classic combo! And look at the soft rendering around her face, how Barocci uses the medium to really capture that delicate skin. It feels incredibly intimate, like we're intruding on a private moment. It's that gentle blush he's given her, maybe? Editor: Right, those highlights probably served as studies for a larger painting, preparing elements, evaluating composition. Barocci was an interesting character operating within and around Counter-Reformation ideals about religious art. The question always being, "how do you emotionally engage with your viewer, while maintaining decorum"? Curator: You know, looking at the placement, the gaze to the lower right… I wonder if she’s supposed to be an angel looking down at someone in prayer or in need. A figure of comfort. And those faint outlines? Is that him, changing his mind, feeling his way through the art? It brings me a sort of…hope? A person can change the paths, the plan…it is like writing with graphite only. Editor: It speaks volumes to Barocci’s studio practice, certainly. Drawings like this gave artists immense social capital during this period. The production and sharing of drawings fostered connections with patrons, demonstrating technical skills, while controlling public access. He shows, and withholds… Curator: Precisely! There is such raw beauty on this, capturing a tender emotional space. A place to escape the politics you talk about… A place where someone is quietly and safely meditating… Isn't art so amazing when it gives you so much with such a simple drawing? Editor: Indeed, by understanding the role and the circulation of drawings like this, we can better understand the socio-political role Barocci had during his time. A drawing is not only a drawing.