Artwork
Print from Drawing Book
Print from Drawing Book is an ink print by the Baroque artist Luca Ciamberlano. It dates from 1615 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Luca Ciamberlano’s engraving, dated around 1615, presents a study of five human hands rendered in varying gestures. The composition juxtaposes open palms with clenched fists, offering a concise exploration of manual form. Executed on paper that has yellowed with age, the work retains the crisp, dark lines characteristic of early‑17th‑century printmaking.
Subject & Meaning
The print isolates the hand as its sole subject, allowing viewers to contemplate the range of human expression conveyed through gesture. By presenting multiple poses within a single frame, Ciamberlano emphasizes the versatility of the hand as both a functional tool and a symbolic element in artistic practice.
Technique & Style
Ciamberlano employs dense cross‑hatching, layering fine parallel strokes to model volume and surface texture. The intersecting lines generate subtle gradations of shadow, giving the skin a tactile, slightly rough appearance. This meticulous approach to line work reflects the engraver’s command of chiaroscuro within the constraints of the medium.
History & Provenance
Created in the early Baroque period, the engraving likely originated as a study for a larger drawing book intended for artists’ reference. Surviving copies are found in several European collections, indicating that the image circulated among print dealers and served as a pedagogical example of hand anatomy.
Artist & collection
