Artwork
Studies of Sudarium and Saint Agnes
Studies of Sudarium and Saint Agnes is an ink drawing by the Renaissance artist Tobias Stimmer. It dates from 1562 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:recto: none; verso: in later hand, across bottom verso: (2 illegible lines in gray ink or watercolor)
About this work
Overview
Created in 1562, the drawing titled Studies of Sudarium and Saint Agnes is a pen and black‑ink work accented with white chalk on laid paper that has been primed with a thin red wash. The composition combines several figures, a female head and shoulders, a bearded male portrait within a square frame, a bird in flight, and a deer, arranged to explore both devotional and natural motifs.
Subject & Meaning
The central female figure, rendered with flowing hair, evokes the saintly iconography of Saint Agnes, while the bearded man may reference the biblical Sudarium tradition. The inclusion of a bird and a deer introduces symbolic elements often associated with purity and the natural world, suggesting a meditation on spiritual and earthly harmony.
Technique & Style
Stimmer employs bold, confident lines for the main contours, complemented by delicate cross‑hatching and subtle chalk shading that model the forms and suggest volume. The red‑washed ground provides a warm undertone that enhances the contrast between the black ink and white chalk, while the laid paper texture contributes a tactile quality to the study.
History & Provenance
Swiss artist Tobias Stimmer, known for his precise draftsmanship and later work on the Strasbourg astronomical clock, produced this drawing early in his career. It reflects his engagement with devotional subjects before his involvement in larger architectural projects, and it remains a testament to his preparatory studies in the mid‑16th century.
Context
The work belongs to the broader tradition of Northern Renaissance religious studies, where artists combined meticulous observation with symbolic content. Stimmer’s integration of animal motifs alongside saintly figures aligns with contemporary practices that sought to convey moral narratives through layered visual allegory.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Tobias Stimmer (7 April 1539 – 4 January 1584) was a Swiss painter and illustrator. His most famous work is the paintings on the Strasbourg astronomical clock.
Untitled
Sibylla Erythraea
The Nativity with the Dream of Joseph
Two Seated Women
Rest on the Flight into Egypt
Fortitude
The Annunciation
The Education of the Virgin
The Adoration of the Shepherds
Reclining sibyl holding a book, with a winged putto supporting an inscribed tablet
Ecclesia Surrounded by Angels Holding the Instruments of the Passion- Saint Agnes (verso)