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Studies of a Seated Female, Childs Head, and Three Studies of a Baby, c. 1507-8. Creator
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Studies of a Seated Female, Childs Head, and Three Studies of a Baby, c. 1507-8. Creator
Studies of a Seated Female, Childs Head, and Three Studies of a Baby, c. 1507-8. This drawing is from Raphaels " pink sketchbook, " comprised of ten sheets of roughly equal size portraying a mother and child. Today, six are at the Palais des Beaux-Arts, Lille; two are at the British Museum; one is in a private collection; and one is in Cleveland. The small format of the sheets would have enabled the artist to carry the notebook as he traveled from Florence to Rome in 1508. Raphael used metalpoint, a technique popular in 15th- and early 16th-century Italy. As the name implies, metalpoint employed a stylus of soft metal--usually silver or a silver alloy--that left a mark when applied to a specially prepared sheet coated with ground eggshell, powdered bone, or lead white. The rough texture allowed for a deposit of the metal to be left on the surface. The preparation of the ground was often tinted with pigment (here Raphael used pink) so that the delicate gray lines of the metalpoint would stand out. The rigorous technique cannot be erased or effaced, thus demonstrating the artists superlative draftsmanship
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Media ID 19640939
© Heritage Art/Heritage Images
Metalpoint Raphael Raphael Italian 1483 1520
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This print showcases a drawing from Raphael's renowned "pink sketchbook" which consists of ten sheets portraying a mother and child. Created around 1507-8, this particular piece titled "Studies of a Seated Female, Childs Head, and Three Studies of a Baby" is an exquisite example of the artist's exceptional draftsmanship. The small format of these sheets allowed Raphael to conveniently carry his notebook while traveling between Florence and Rome in 1508. Using metalpoint, a popular technique in 15th- and early 16th-century Italy, the artist employed a stylus made of soft metal to leave delicate gray lines on specially prepared surfaces coated with ground eggshell, powdered bone, or lead white. In this case, the surface was tinted pink to enhance the visibility of the intricate metalpoint marks. What makes this drawing truly remarkable is its permanence; once applied, the metalpoint cannot be erased or effaced. This demonstrates Raphael's meticulous attention to detail and his mastery as a draftsman. Today, six sheets from Raphael's "pink sketchbook" are housed at Palais des Beaux-Arts in Lille, two can be found at the British Museum, one resides within a private collection, and another rests in Cleveland. This print by Heritage Art/Heritage Images allows us to appreciate not only the beauty but also the historical significance of this extraordinary artwork.
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