Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple [recto]
c. 1700
![Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple [recto] by Antonio Zanchi](https://images.artheonmuseum.org/nga/thumb/presentation-of-the-virgin-in-the-temple-recto-nga-73509.webp)
Medium
pen and brown ink and brown wash over black chalk, squared in black chalk, on laid paper
Dimensions
overall: 28.1 × 18.7 cm (11 1/16 × 7 3/8 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of William B. O'Neal, in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art
Accession Number
1991.150.56.a
Art Historical Context
This preparatory drawing by Antonio Zanchi, created around 1700, depicts the Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple—a cherished biblical subject showing the young Mary ascending the temple steps in an act of devotion. As a Venetian artist working in the late Baroque period, Zanchi used this study to explore the dramatic gestures and architectural setting that would bring the narrative to life in a finished painting or fresco. The medium of pen and brown ink with brown wash over black chalk allows for fluid lines and rich tonal contrasts, while the careful squaring in black chalk reveals its...
About the Artist
Antonio Zanchi
Antonio Zanchi (1631-1722) was an Italian Baroque painter who became one of Venice's most prominent artists during the late seventeenth century, known particularly for his dramatic large-scale religious canvases characterized by dynamic compositions, rich color, and intense emotional expression. Born in Este in the Veneto region, Zanchi established himself in Venice where he absorbed the city's gr...