Artwork
Study for the Head of St. Michael
Study for the Head of St. Michael is a drawing by the Baroque artist Pietro da Cortona. It dates from 1633 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Study for the Head of St.
About this work
Overview
Study for the Head of St. Michael is a drawing by Pietro da Cortona, created as a preparatory work for a fresco.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a youthful face with upturned eyes and parted lips, likely representing an angel. The subject is associated with Saint Michael, a figure featured in the artist's ceiling decoration in the Chiesa Nuova, Rome.
Technique & Style
Cortona employed black chalk to achieve subtle shading effects, demonstrating a refined technique. The drawing's soft, nuanced transitions between light and shadow reflect the artist's familiarity with Italian drawing traditions, particularly the sfumato technique used to blur edges.
History & Provenance
The drawing was created in preparation for Cortona's fresco, Saint Michael and Angels with the Instruments of the Passion, completed in 1633 in the Chiesa Nuova, Rome.
Artist & collection
Artist
Pietro da Cortona (Italian: ; 1 November 1596 or 1597 – 16 May 1669) was an Italian Baroque painter and architect.
