The Apotheosis of Saint Mark [recto and verso]

Art Historical Context

This delicate lunette-shaped drawing by Pietro Roselli captures theotheosis of Saint Mark, the patron saint of Venice, rendered in pen and brown ink over black chalk. Created sometime between 1651 and 1700, work measures just 25 13.8, yet it conveys a sense of heavenly elevation typical of Baroque devotional art. The compact format suggests it may have served as a preparatory study for a larger fresco, altarpiece, or architectural decoration, where such curved designs often adorned church lunettes or chapel ceilings. The medium allows for fluid, expressive lines that bring movement and light ...