Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine with Saint Jerome 

Francesco Vanni created this drawing titled "Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine with Saint Jerome" using pen and brown ink with brown wash over black chalk on laid paper. The composition is dominated by the Virgin Mary, centrally placed and gazing downward, with Saint Catherine on the right and Saint Jerome below. The figures are softly rendered, with the pen and ink creating subtle tonal gradations and the brown wash adding depth. Vanni employs a grid of lines which underpins the composition, a technique used for scaling up drawings. The unfinished quality of the drawing invites us to consider the creative process. The overlaid grid challenges our perception by revealing the underlying structure. The varying degrees of finish across the figures suggests a visual hierarchy, a technique Vanni employs to guide the viewer's eye through the narrative, emphasizing the spiritual union. The structural underpinnings are integral, not only to the making, but also to the overall meaning of the artwork.