Assumption of Mary 

Ventura Salimbeni created this drawing of the Assumption of Mary with pen and brown ink, heightened with white. He also used brown wash over traces of black chalk. The drawing’s sepia tones give it a warm, atmospheric quality. It’s easy to imagine Salimbeni working in his studio, carefully layering the ink to build up shadows and define forms. The use of white heightening adds highlights, making the figures seem to glow against the shaded background. Drawings like this were often studies for larger paintings or frescoes, so it’s interesting to think about how Salimbeni might have used this drawing as a tool in the workshop. Perhaps he showed it to his assistants to explain the composition, or used it to work out the details of the figures and drapery. Looking at the drawing in this way helps us appreciate the skill and labor that went into its creation, and challenges the traditional distinction between drawing as a mere preparation, and painting as a finished work of art.