1688
chalk
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Saint Anthony of Padua (recto); Bust of a Child and Head of an Angel (verso) is a 1688 chalk by Claudio Coello, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a robed figure kneeling with arms outstretched, looking upward. The lines are loose and quick, mostly in red chalk on a light brown paper. The robe’s folds are suggested with a few confident strokes, and the figure’s head is turned slightly to the side. The artist used only red and black chalk, letting the paper’s texture show through. This sketch style was common for quick studies before painting. Next, look up *Baroque* to see how dramatic lighting and movement shaped this era’s art.
Claudio Coello (2 March 1642 – 20 April 1693) was a Spanish-Portuguese Baroque painter.
See the richer artist page
