Artwork
Studies of Saint James the Greater
Studies of Saint James the Greater is a chalk drawing by the Baroque artist Carlo Maratta. It dates from 1686 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower right, brown ink, by Alessandro Maggiori, Carlo Maratti/fece; verso, brown ink: Aless. Maggiori compró/ a Roma nel/ 1804
About this work
Overview
Studies of Saint James the Greater is a drawing by Carlo Maratta, created around 1686. It is executed in red chalk with white highlights on blue paper.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a robed figure, identified as Saint James the Greater, with one arm raised and the other resting on a cloth. The figure's pose and attire suggest a moment of reverence or devotion.
Technique & Style
The artist employed red chalk to establish the forms and shading, reserving white chalk for highlights, such as on the figure's face. This technique allowed for a range of tonal values and subtle texture, characteristic of Maratta's preparatory drawings.
Context
This drawing was likely a study for a larger painting, a common practice among artists of the time. The use of red chalk and white highlights on colored paper was a typical method for exploring composition and figure arrangement.
![Studies of Legs and Drapery [recto]](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/abraham-bloemaert--studies-of-legs-and-drapery-recto--93eb35075fbdb28d-w320.webp)
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Carlo Maratta or Maratti (18 May 1625 – 15 December 1713) was an Italian Baroque painter and draughtsman, active principally in Rome where he was the leading painter in the second half of the 17th century.
![Standing Draped Man [recto], by Jacopo da Empoli](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/jacopo-da-empoli--standing-draped-man-recto--b3cdc92a1134339d-w320.webp)
