The Angel of the Annunciation c. 1638 - 1639

Guercino created this drawing, The Angel of the Annunciation, sometime in the 17th century with pen and brown ink on paper. Look closely and you will see the artist has built up the image with hundreds of tiny strokes, achieving a subtle sense of volume and depth. This hatching technique was common at the time, and it’s a testament to the skill and labor involved in creating an image. It’s easy to forget how much time and effort went into making images before the age of mechanical reproduction. Each line, each shadow, is the result of a deliberate decision. In a world saturated with digital images, it’s worth pausing to appreciate the handwork that went into this seemingly simple drawing. The limitations of the materials—pen, ink, and paper—required a certain level of artistry, turning a common scene into something divine.