Gruppe von fünf stehenden Männern aus dem Fresko mit dem Wunder vom angefügten Fuß in der Scuola del Santo, S. Antonio, Padua 

This drawing of five men, now in the Städel Museum, was made by Titian in preparation for his fresco of ‘The Miracle of the Repaired Foot’ in Padua. It is rendered in pen and brown ink, a relatively simple and direct medium. The thin, fluid lines of the ink allow Titian to explore the figures’ forms, with an emphasis on the fall of drapery and the attitudes of the men. He coaxes volume from the page through a series of parallel strokes, which give a sense of depth and shadow. The material itself, ink on paper, encourages a rapid, spontaneous way of working. Drawings like this are often seen as secondary to a finished painting, a mere prelude to the "real" work of art. But, in fact, the intimacy and immediacy of the drawing, combined with the artist’s skills, allow us to see Titian's creative process unfolding before our eyes. It blurs the lines between preparation and presentation, between craft and fine art.