Saint John Preaching c. 16th century

Editor: This is Giovanni Battista Naldini's "Saint John Preaching," a small drawing at the Harvard Art Museums. It's striking how the limited materials—just brown ink and wash—create so much depth. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: Looking at the materiality, consider the accessibility of ink and paper in 16th-century Florence. Was this intended as a preparatory sketch? How does the process of layering wash contribute to the narrative's intensity? Editor: That’s a good point, I hadn't considered the context of its creation. It does seem like the kind of artwork to be a study for something larger. Curator: Exactly! Also, note the implied labor. Each stroke, each shadow, represents time and skill. How does that impact our understanding of its value, separate from its religious subject? Editor: So, viewing it less as a devotional piece, and more as an artifact of artistic production. I see what you mean! Curator: Precisely. Considering the material and the making helps us see the social and economic aspects embedded within this image.