The Virgin and Child with Saint John the Baptist
1591
Medium
Chiaroscuro woodcut, in brown and black, from four blocks, with touches of brown watercolor, on cream laid paper
Dimensions
33.9 × 19.9 cm (13 3/8 × 7 7/8 in.)
Classification
prints and drawing
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
269851
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This tender composition of the Virgin and Child is a beautiful example of Andrea Andreani’s use of chiaroscuro woodcut, an early color-printing technique he revived and brought to new levels of technical sophistication. Using four different woodblocks printed in succession, Andreani created a tonally complex monochrome, carving highlights into one of the blocks that let the white of the paper shine through. This crisp, early impression shows corrections to the Virgin’s shoulder, perhaps added by...