Thronende Madonna, vor ihr ein heiliger Bischof und ein weiterer Heiliger 

Simone Cantarini created this drawing of the enthroned Madonna with a pen in brown ink, sometime in the 17th century. The artist uses the qualities of the ink to create a sense of depth and shadow through the density and layering of lines. While the use of ink on paper may seem straightforward, it’s important to remember the cultural context in which Cantarini was working. At the time, drawing was seen as a fundamental skill for artists, architects, and designers, and was essential to the whole process of art making. Looking at the brisk, energetic lines of the drawing, we can appreciate the artist’s skill and control over the medium. The hatching technique has imbued the drawing with the significance of traditional practices in fine arts. This reminds us that the value of a work lies not just in its subject, but also in the labor, time and expertise required to produce it.