Head of a bearded man 1548 - 1628

Jacopo Palma, called il Giovane, made this drawing of a bearded man in red chalk. The earthy pigment, composed of iron oxide, has a dry, crumbly quality. It is unforgiving, yet capable of great subtlety. Palma coaxes a range of tonal values from the chalk through controlled pressure. Note the density of strokes defining the brow and beard, relative to the lighter hatching along the man's cheek. Drawing, like all forms of making, has its own history of labor. In Renaissance workshops, producing studies like this was critical for teaching young artists. Red chalk was a common choice, valued for its immediacy. It allowed for quick notation of form and expression. Consider how the artist’s hand moved across the page. This informs our understanding of the work. Palma's red chalk drawing invites us to appreciate the artist’s skill and the inherent qualities of the material. It shows us how these processes imbue the artwork with social and cultural significance.