Virgin and Child
c. 1591
Medium
Pen and iron gall ink with brush and brown wash, on ivory laid paper, squared in graphite
Dimensions
14 × 10 cm (5 9/16 × 3 15/16 in.)
Classification
drawings (visual works)
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
51833
Art Historical Context
This delicate drawing, *Virgin and Child*, emerges from the circle of Francescoanni, a prominent Sienese Mannerist artist active in late 16th-century Italy. Dated around 1591, it captures the tender devotion central to Catholic iconography during the Counter-Re era, when such intimate depictions reinforced faith amid religious upheaval. Vanni's workshop style blends elongated figures and graceful poses characteristic of Mannerism, evoking a sense of ethereal spirituality. Executed on ivory laid paper—a fine, textured support favored for detailed studies—the work employs pen and iron gall ink ...