Christ Child: Study for the Madonna di San Giovanni

Art Historical Context

Federico Barocci, a leading Italian artist of the late 16th century from Urbino, created this tender drawing around 1565 as a preparatory study for his *Madonna di San Giovanni*, a devotional painting destined for the church of San Giovanni Battista in Urbino. Barocci bridged Mannerism and the emerging Baroque with his soft, luminous style, influenced by Raphael and Correggio. His works often emphasized emotional intimacy and graceful forms, perfectly suited to Counter-Reformation ideals that sought to inspire faith through beauty. Rendered in black and red chalk, pastel, and stumping on greenish-blue laid paper, this 40.1 × 26.3 cm sheet showcases Barocci's masterful draftsmanship. The tinted paper serves as a mid-tone, allowing the artist to build subtle highlights and shadows—stumping blends chalk for velvety flesh tones, evoking the Christ Child's gentle, lifelike warmth. Such preparatory studies were crucial in Barocci's meticulous process, refining compositions before oil paintings. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints and Drawings Department, this rare chalk drawing highlights Barocci's innovative techniques and his pivotal role in evolving drawing from mere sketch to expressive art form, captivating viewers with its intimate glimpse into Renaissance creativity.

About the Artist

Federico Barocci · 1535–1612

Federico Barocci (c. 1535–1612) was an Italian painter from Urbino whose luminous, emotionally tender religious paintings made him one of the most original and influential artists of the late sixteenth century, bridging Mannerism and the early Baroque. Born in Urbino, the city of Raphael, he studied under Battista Franco and traveled to Rome, where he absorbed the lessons of Raphael, Correggio, an...