The Adoration of the Shepherds c. 1517

This drawing, "The Adoration of the Shepherds" was made by Pietro Perugino with pen and brown ink on laid paper. The texture of the paper adds depth to the drawing, influencing how the ink settles into the page. The decision to use a pen, ink, and paper, materials that enable reproducibility and widespread circulation, may tell us something about Perugino’s broader economic vision. The artist was running a large workshop, which produced many paintings quickly. This involved streamlining processes and increasing the division of labor. Drawings like this may have been produced in great number for distribution among shop members, a way to prototype and test ideas quickly, and perhaps create a uniformity of style. The simplicity of the materials here belies the great sophistication of the process. The very act of drawing is a kind of labor, a process rooted in observation, thought, and creative output. It is an example of craft, but also a business practice – all condensed into an object of great artistic value.