Three Studies of Angels for a Pendentive (recto)

Roncalli employed a careful study of foreshortening to convey the angels’ three‑dimensional presence within the shallow drawing. The sketches reveal a soft transition of tones, hinting at the sfumato approach that would later inform the final mosaic’s atmospheric quality, while the linear underdrawing outlines the intended gestures and drapery.

The drawing originates from the late‑16th‑century commission by Pope Clement VIII, who selected Roncalli for his Florentine background. It remained in the artist’s workshop before entering the collection of the Vatican’s archives, where it has been preserved as part of the preparatory material for the dome’s interior decoration.

The project followed the completion of Michelangelo’s dome design a decade earlier, marking a continuation of the High Renaissance vision for St. Peter’s. Roncalli’s work reflects the transitional period between Mannerist experimentation and the emerging Baroque sensibility that would dominate Roman church decoration.

Although the angels were ultimately realized in mosaic, the drawing provides valuable insight into the compositional process behind one of Rome’s most significant ecclesiastical interiors. It illustrates the practical challenges of adapting figurative art to complex architectural spaces, influencing later artists tasked with similar monumental programs.