Study of St Anne, Mary and the Christ Child 1503

Leonardo da Vinci made this drawing in pen and ink, with some wash, on paper. Although pen and ink might seem like an ordinary choice of material, it was a crucial element in the workshops of the Renaissance, and the means by which ideas were elaborated and disseminated. Da Vinci explores a composition of three figures: St Anne, Mary, and the Christ Child. The ink lines, applied with a quill, vary in thickness and density, creating a sense of depth and shadow. The use of wash—diluted ink applied with a brush—further enriches the tonal range, adding subtle gradations and atmospheric effects. Drawings like this were a vital means of translating the artist’s vision into tangible form. It was a key skill, which like other forms of craft practice, was dependent on the supply of raw materials, division of labor, and dissemination of specialist knowledge. When we consider these issues, we begin to understand how fundamental “craft” was to the Renaissance.