Himmelfahrt Mariens mit den Heiligen Gervasius, Protasius und Karl Borromäus 

Gaspare Diziani made this study for an altarpiece with pen and brush, using brown ink and wash over graphite. It's on paper, which was of course the great mass medium of its day. Diziani was a sought-after Venetian painter, and studies like this one were crucial to his workshop production. It allowed the patron to get a sense of the composition in advance, and for the assistants to understand their parts in the final, much larger, painting. Look closely, and you can see how the graphic handling gives a sense of dynamic energy. The figures seem to float off the page, caught up in the miraculous scene. The application of ink reveals the hand of the artist, as the varying strokes create a play of light and shadow that brings the scene to life. Diziani employed certain techniques, like hatching and cross-hatching, to build up tonal values and create a sense of depth. While it may seem preliminary, this drawing is very much a finished work in its own right. It's a reminder that even the most seemingly effortless artistic creations are the result of dedicated labor and skill. By appreciating the material and process behind this artwork, we can gain a deeper understanding of its cultural and social significance.