River God

Romano employed quick, loose strokes, layering pen work with a brown wash to achieve tonal variation. The ink is applied unevenly, creating areas of deep darkness alongside faded sections, while cross‑hatching builds subtle shading. The laid paper’s textured surface enhances the sketchy quality, reinforcing the drawing’s status as a preparatory study rather than a polished finish.

The drawing circulated in the early sixteenth century through prints made by Marcantonio Raimondi, which helped disseminate Romano’s draftsmanship beyond his immediate workshop. Its survival on paper indicates it was likely retained as a working sketch, later entering collections that value the artist’s role in the transition from High Renaissance classicism to Mannerist experimentation.