Sheet of Studies for the Blinding of Elymas, Sacrifice at Lystra, and a Holy Family
c. 1558
Medium
Pen and brown ink, and brush and red chalk and brown wash, on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
38.6 × 27.4 cm (15 1/4 × 10 13/16 in.)
Classification
pen and ink drawings
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
113058
Art Historical Context
Taddeo Zuccaro, a leading Mannerist artist from mid-16th-century Rome, created this dynamic *Sheet of Studies* around 1558. The drawing features preparatory sketches for key biblical scenes: the Blinding of Elymas ( Acts 13, where sorcerer is struck blind by Saint Paul), the Sacrifice at Lystra (Acts 14, depicting a pagan ritual interrupted by the apostles), and a tender Holy Family. Zuccaro, known for his cycles in papal palaces like the Casino of Pius IV, used these studies to refine compositions for larger projects, showcasing his fluid draftsmanship and inventive figure groupings. Rendere...
About the Artist
Taddeo Zuccaro · 1529–1566
Taddeo Zuccaro, born on September 1, 1529, in Sant'Angelo in Vado within the Duchy of Urbino, emerged from a modest artistic family as the son of the little-known painter Ottaviano Zuccaro, in whose workshop he received his initial training. Encouraged by the local artist Pompeo da Fano, who served briefly as his teacher according to Giorgio Vasari, Taddeo relocated to Rome around age 14, where he...