1532
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Altarpiece of the Madonna and Child with Saints, in Its Architectural Setting is a 1532 ink by Perino del Vaga, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a simple altar scene inside an arched frame. Three figures stand below a throne where a seated woman holds a child. The woman wears a crown, and the child sits on her lap. Two men stand on either side, one holding a book, the other a tall candle. The whole setup looks like a stage with columns, steps, and a balustrade. The drawing is made with quick, loose lines—no colors, just ink. The artist focused on shapes and shadows to suggest depth and form. It’s more like a plan than a finished painting. Next, check out the Renaissance to see how artists like this used sketches to plan their work.
Piero Bonaccorsi (1501 – October 19, 1547), known as Perino (or Perin) del Vaga, was an Italian painter and draughtsman of the Late Renaissance/Mannerism.
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