Head of a Youth
1595/1605
Medium
Red chalk with stumping, on tan laid paper, laid down on ivory laid card
Dimensions
32.8 × 22.4 cm (12 15/16 × 8 7/8 in.)
Classification
chalk
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
95664
Art Historical Context
Cristoforo Roncalli's *Head of a Youth*, dated between 1595 and 1605, captures the delicate features of a young man in a poised, introspective pose. This intimate drawing, executed in red chalk with stumping on tan laid paper (32.8 × 22.4 cm), exemplifies the Italian Mannerist artist's skill in preparatory studies. Roncalli, active in Rome during the late Renaissance transition to Baroque, often created such works for larger frescoes or paintings, blending elegance with emotional depth. The medium's choice is key: red chalk's warm tones and subtle gradations, enhanced by stumping—a technique ...