Study of Two Figures for the Age of Gold
Medium
Black chalk, slightly reworked by the artist with the wet tip of the chalk stick
Dimensions
12 11/16 x 9 3/4in. (32.3 x 24.7cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Walter C. Baker, 1971
Accession Number
1972.118.250
Tags
Art Historical Context
Pietro da Cortona, a leading figure of the Italian Baroque, created this dynamic *Study of Two Figures for the of Gold* in 1637. Rendered in black chalk and subtly enhanced by the artist wetting the tip for softer, more fluid effects, the drawing measures 12 11/16 x 9 3/4 inches. This technique allowed Cortona to achieve velvety tones and expressive modeling, blending sharp contours with hazy sfumato-like blending—hallmarks of his preparatory sketches for grand frescoes and paintings. As a study for *The Age of Gold*, likely evoking the mythological Golden Age of classical antiquity, it captu...
About the Artist
Pietro da Cortona (Pietro Berrettini) · 1596–1669
Pietro da Cortona, born Pietro Berrettini on November 1, 1596, in the Tuscan hill town of Cortona, emerged as one of the towering figures of Italian Baroque art, excelling as a painter, architect, and decorator. He received his early training under the Florentine painters Andrea Commodi and Baccio Ciarpi. In 1612, Commodi brought the young artist to Rome, where Pietro immersed himself in the city'...