Woman and Child Kneeling (recto); Head of Child (verso)
Andrea del Sarto (Andrea d'Agnolo), 16th century
About this artwork
Andrea del Sarto, a Florentine artist of the High Renaissance (6–1530), this intimate pen and brown ink drawing in the 16th century Titled *Woman and Child Kneeling on the recto (front) and featuring a *Head of Child* on verso (back), the sheet measures just 6-1/2 x 5-1/8 inches, showcasing the artist's masterful economy of line. Del Sarto's fluid, expressive strokes capture a tender moment between a kneeling woman and child, evoking maternal devotion, while the verso study highlights the child's delicate features with remarkable sensitivity. As a quintessential preparatory drawing, this work exemplifies del Sarto's reputation as one of the finest draftsmen of his era, bridging the naturalism of Leonardo da Vinci and the dynamism of Michelangelo. Pen and brown ink allowed for swift, nuanced modeling through hatching and contour, techniques that brought his figures to life with emotional depth. Such studies were essential for his grand frescoes and altarpieces, revealing the Renaissance emphasis on disegno (drawing) as the foundation of painting. Now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, gifted by Cornelius Vanderbilt in 1880, this double-sided gem offers visitors a glimpse into the artist's studio process. Its small scale invites close contemplation, underscoring the enduring appeal of Renaissance sketches in celebrating human connection.