Woman with Putto
n.d.
Medium
Pen wash on cream laid paper
Dimensions
12.4 × 11.4 cm (4 15/16 × 4 1/2 in.)
Classification
ink or chalk wash
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
123526
Art Historical Context
In the intimate world of 17th-century Italian drawings, *Woman with Putto* byercino (Giovanni Francescoieri, 1591–1666) captivates with its delicate pen wash on cream laid paper. This sheet, measuring just 12.4 × 11.4 cm, exemplifies the Bolognese artist's mastery as a draftsman in the Baroque era. Guercino, nicknamed "the squinter" for his cross-eyed gaze, was a leading figure in the Carracci-influenced Bolognese school, blending dramatic tenebrism—deep shadows and glowing highlights—with fluid, expressive lines. Rendered in ink wash, a technique using diluted ink brushed for soft tonal grad...
About the Artist
Guercino · 1591–1666
Son of a laborer who transported wood. He was called Guercino (squinter), because he was cross-eyed or had a squint in his right eye. Reputedly self-taught early, then an apprentice in the shop of Benedetto Gennari. Patrons included the papal legate at Ferrara and the Archbishop of Bologna. He developed a classical style later in his career. After the death of Guido Reni, Guercino was the leading ...