Artwork

Two composition sketches for the votive painting of Doge Pasquale Cicogna, Sala del Pregadi, Palazzo Ducale, Venice

Two composition sketches for the votive painting of Doge Pasquale Cicogna, Sala del Pregadi, Palazzo Ducale, Venice is an unspecified painting by Unknown. It dates from 1550 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Overview

These two preparatory drawings, executed around 1550, belong to the design phase of a votive canvas commissioned for Doge Pasquale Cicogna in the Sala del Pregadi of Venice’s Palazzo Ducale. The sketches are attributed to the artist catalogued as 30185_person and are currently conserved in the Museum of Ethnography.

Subject & Meaning

The compositions depict a gathering of figures engaged in a ceremonial act, likely related to the Doge’s vow or public devotion. One figure bears a staff, another supports a child, while several participants tilt their heads upward, suggesting a collective focus on a divine or civic event.

Technique & Style

Rendered in rapid, gestural lines on paper, the sketches prioritize the arrangement of bodies and the flow of movement over fine detail. Light and shadow are suggested through chiaroscuro shading, giving a sense of depth despite the loose execution, while faint architectural outlines hint at a broader setting.

History & Provenance

Created in the mid‑sixteenth century as part of the planning process for the final votive painting, the drawings later entered the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. Their survival offers insight into the preparatory methods employed for large civic commissions in Renaissance Venice.