A Boy Gazing Upward in Adoration
c. 1594
Medium
red chalk heightened with white chalk on blue laid paper
Dimensions
overall: 14.8 x 13.6 cm (5 13/16 x 5 3/8 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund and The William Stamps Farish Fund
Accession Number
1998.75.1
Art Historical Context
In the late 16th century,olomeo Cesi, a Bolognese artist influenced by the Carracci family's push toward naturalism and emotional depth, created this intimate drawing *A Boy Gazing Up in Adoration* around 1594. Working in Bologna during the transition from Mannerism to early Baroque, Cesi was renowned for his sensitive portraits and religious figures, often using drawings as preparatory studies for paintings. This small sheet (just 14.8 x 13.6 cm) exemplifies his skill in capturing youthful innocence and spiritual fervor. Rendered in red chalk heightened with white on blue laid paper, the med...