The Marriage of Saint Catherine 

Editor: So, this is Francesco Vanni’s drawing, “The Marriage of Saint Catherine.” It's done with pencil and charcoal. It feels like a very intimate family moment. What do you see in this piece, something maybe I'm missing? Curator: Oh, it *is* intimate, isn't it? I keep coming back to the textures here, the soft blurring of charcoal that makes it feel less like looking and more like… remembering. Like peering through a mist, struggling to recall a half-forgotten dream. Editor: A dream… that’s interesting. It also seems a bit unfinished, almost a sketch? Curator: Exactly! The Renaissance wasn't just about polished frescoes and grand sculptures, you know? It was a time of rediscovering and celebrating process. Think of this less as a depiction of the *Marriage*, and more as Vanni feeling his way through the scene, asking himself "What does grace *feel* like on paper?" Editor: So it’s not about perfectly representing the story, but exploring the feeling of it? Curator: Precisely. And how daring to leave so much unsaid! To trust the viewer to fill in the emotional blanks! Don't you think? I'm especially drawn to that use of red chalk, providing these warming undertones! Almost breathing. What would happen if there were color there instead? Editor: If he had gone with color? Maybe the intimacy would fade, become more…official? Curator: Yes! Less personal, more like a staged event. It is fascinating how materials affect mood and tone. Editor: I see it completely differently now! Curator: The piece suddenly lives through an innovative approach!