The Virgin and Child with Saints and a Donor (after a drawing by Girolamo da Treviso)

Chiaroscuro woodcut relies on multiple blocks to layer tones, creating volume through contrast rather than line. Here, the artist used two shades of brown and one ochre to model forms with subtle gradations, evoking the soft modeling of drawn studies. The absence of outline and reliance on tone aligns the print with Renaissance drawing practices, prioritizing atmospheric depth over graphic definition.

The original drawing by Girolamo da Treviso was commissioned for the Boccaferri family chapel in San Domenico, Bologna, around the early 16th century. This print, likely made shortly after, served as a reproductive medium to disseminate the design. No record of the final painted altarpiece survives, leaving the woodcut as the primary surviving evidence of the intended composition.

In early 16th-century Italy, chiaroscuro woodcuts emerged as a way to replicate the tonal effects of drawings and paintings for wider audiences. Girolamo’s work reflects the intersection of devotional art and print culture, where preparatory studies were transformed into accessible images for private devotion or institutional use, bridging the gap between painterly ideals and mechanical reproduction.

Though the original altarpiece is lost, this print preserves the visual language of Girolamo’s design and demonstrates the adaptability of Renaissance drawing techniques in print. It stands as an example of how artists and patrons used reproductive media to extend the reach of sacred imagery, influencing later developments in tonal printmaking across Europe.