Artwork
Saint Louis of Toulouse Holding a Staff

Saint Louis of Toulouse Holding a Staff is an ink drawing by the Renaissance artist Giovanni Bellini. It dates from 1464 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Saint Louis of Toulouse Holding a Staff is a 15th-century religious drawing attributed to Giovanni Bellini, dated to the early 1460s.
Technique & Style
Executed in pen and ink over stylus on laid paper, the work exemplifies a common artistic method of the period, highlighting the intersection of drawing and preliminary sketching techniques prevalent during the Renaissance.
Subject & Meaning
Depicting Saint Louis of Toulouse, the drawing honors a religious figure, suggesting its purpose was devotional or preparatory for a larger religious artwork.
Context
Created during the Renaissance, the drawing reflects the era's emphasis on detailed draftsmanship and the revival of religious subjects, characteristic of early Renaissance art in Italy.
Artist & collection
Artist
Giovanni Bellini spent his life in Venice, where the city’s soft light and water shaped his view of the world.











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