Diana and Hecate 16th century

Rosso Fiorentino created this drawing of Diana and Hecate using pen and brown ink on paper. It's a seemingly simple choice of materials, but one that speaks volumes about artistic practice in the Renaissance. The relatively humble materials signal this isn't the final work, but rather a preparatory sketch. It's a chance for the artist to work through ideas, test out compositions, and refine their vision before committing to a more permanent medium like paint or sculpture. Look closely, and you can almost feel the artist's hand at work, the rapid, confident lines building up the forms, the subtle variations in tone suggesting depth and shadow. Drawing was fundamental to the Renaissance artist's training and creative process, a way of understanding the world through close observation and translating it into art. This drawing reminds us that even the grandest artworks often begin with the simplest of means: a pen, some ink, and a skilled hand.