Night allegory 

This drawing is Francesco Albani's "Night Allegory," which now resides in the Städel Museum. The sepia ink creates a muted, dreamlike quality, enhancing the ethereal feel of the scene. Note the composition: an angel carries children across a landscape with sleeping figures below and a starlit sky above. The line work is delicate, yet precise, defining the forms of the figures and the details of the landscape with clarity. The angel and children are rendered with soft, flowing lines that suggest movement, contrasting with the more static, angular lines of the architectural elements in the background. This contrast creates a dynamic tension within the piece, inviting us to consider the relationship between the earthly and the divine. Albani uses the language of line and form not just to depict a scene but also to explore deeper themes of innocence, protection, and the mysteries of the night.