Johannes de Doper preekt in de woestijn 1661 - 1666

Mattia Preti’s drawing, depicting John the Baptist preaching, comes to us via traditional means. It is rendered in chalk, with white heightening, on paper. Look closely, and you'll see how the gray paper stock peeks through. Preti, an Italian Baroque artist, here allows the qualities of the paper itself to play an active role in the composition, setting the tonal key. This highlights Preti's artistic labor and intention through the graphic medium. The conscious choice to expose the groundwork emphasizes the materiality, turning the paper from mere support into an aesthetic element. In Preti's hands, conventional materials become tools for ingenuity and expression. This approach elevates the status of drawing, demonstrating how thoughtful technique transforms something as simple as chalk on paper into a work of depth and sophistication. It challenges the hierarchy between preparatory sketch and finished painting.