Study for Cosimo I Reorganizing the Tuscan Troops
1589
Medium
Pen and brown ink with brush and brown wash, heightened with lead white, over traces of black chalk, on tan laid paper, laid down on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
41.5 × 27.1 cm (16 3/8 × 10 11/16 in.)
Classification
pen and ink drawings
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
6870
Art Historical Context
This dynamic preparatory drawing by Ludovico Buti captures a pivotal moment in Florentine history. Created in 1589, it serves as a study for a larger composition depicting Cosimo I de’ Medici, the first Grand Duke of Tuscany, reorganizing his military forces. The scene reflects the duke’s efforts to centralize power and strengthen Tuscan defenses during the late Renaissance, a period when Florence sought to project authority amid shifting Italian politics. Buti’s technique showcases the refined draftsmanship prized in late-sixteenth-century Florence. Using pen and brown ink with fluid brown w...