Who painted Studies for a Servant in "The Last Supper"?

Studies for a Servant in "The Last Supper" was painted by Federico Barocci in 1594.

Where can I see Studies for a Servant in "The Last Supper"?

Studies for a Servant in "The Last Supper" is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Studies for a Servant in "The Last Supper"?

Studies for a Servant in "The Last Supper" is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

Studies for a Servant in "The Last Supper"

Federico Barocci , 1594

Studies for a Servant in "The Last Supper" is a chalk drawing by the Renaissance artist Federico Barocci. It dates from 1594 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created around 1594, this drawing by Federico Barocci serves as a preparatory study for a figure—a servant—in his larger composition of the Last Supper. Executed on blue‑tinted paper with black, red, and yellow chalks, and highlighted with white, the work exemplifies the artist’s method of working out details before committing them to a finished painting.

Subject & Meaning

The study isolates a servant character within the biblical narrative of the Last Supper, allowing Barocci to explore the figure’s posture, gesture, and interaction with the surrounding participants. By focusing on a secondary figure, the drawing reveals the artist’s interest in the subtle emotional cues that support the central drama of the scene.

Technique & Style

Barocci employs a limited palette of colored chalks—black, red, yellow—augmented with white highlights to model volume against the cool blue ground. This combination creates a sense of depth and atmospheric contrast, while the chalk’s softness permits rapid revisions, reflecting the experimental spirit of late‑Renaissance drawing practices.

History & Provenance

The drawing belongs to Barocci’s extensive body of preparatory material produced during his mature period, when he was recognized as a leading Italian painter and printmaker. Though originally a working sketch, the piece has been preserved as a testament to his compositional process and now resides in a museum collection dedicated to Renaissance art.

Artist & collection

Artist

Federico Barocci

Federico Barocci (also written Barozzi) (c. 1535 – 30 September 1612) was an Italian Renaissance painter and printmaker. His original name was Federico Fiori, and he was nicknamed Il Baroccio. His work was highly…