Study of St. Anne, Mary, the Christ Child and the young St. John 1503

This drawing was made by Leonardo da Vinci, using pen and brown ink on paper. Though seemingly simple, the act of drawing in the Renaissance was not merely about rendering an image. It was a crucial part of the creative process. Leonardo employed ink, made from tannin, vitriol, and gum, on paper produced in a complex process of pulping, layering, and drying. With these materials, he built up the image in layers, using hatching and cross-hatching to achieve tonal depth and shadow. The use of line became a means of exploring form and space. Drawings like this allowed Renaissance artists to develop ideas, test compositions, and refine their understanding of anatomy and perspective, all vital to production. The careful balance of material knowledge and skillful mark-making is where the true beauty of this piece lies. By appreciating these qualities, we can understand art not just as image-making, but a complex integration of thought, labor, and material.