Artwork

Saint Louis of Toulouse Holding a Staff

Saint Louis of Toulouse Holding a Staff, by Giovanni Bellini, ink, 1464
Saint Louis of Toulouse Holding a Staff, by Giovanni Bellini, ink, 1464

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

Portrait of Giovanni Bellini

Artist

Giovanni Bellini

Giovanni Bellini spent his life in Venice, where the city’s soft light and water shaped his view of the world.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.