Saint Anthony of Padua with the Infant Jesus
Medium
Pen and black ink, on ivory laid paper, laid down on ivory laid paper, laid down on cream wove card
Dimensions
13.9 × 15.4 cm (5 1/2 × 6 1/8 in.)
Classification
pen and ink drawings
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
84290
Art Historical Context
This delicate pen and ink drawing captures Saint Anthony of Padua tenderly holding the Christ Child, a beloved subject in Christian art symbolizing humility, devotion, and divine wisdom. Created by the Spanish artist Antonio del Castillo y Saavedra on ivory laid paper, the small-scale work (just 13.9 by 15.4 centimeters) invites close viewing, revealing the intimate bond between the saint and the infant Jesus through gentle gestures and expressive faces. The choice of pen and black ink on layered laid paper highlights the artist’s precise linework and subtle tonal modeling. Such drawings ofte...