Artwork
The Founding of Santa Maria Maggiore
The Founding of Santa Maria Maggiore is an ink drawing by the Renaissance artist Giovanni Battista Ricci. It dates from 1582 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Giovanni Battista Ricci’s drawing titled *The Founding of Santa Maria Maggiore* dates from 1582. Executed with pen and brown ink, the work incorporates a brown wash, white heightening, and an underlying black chalk sketch. The composition presents a small crowd of robed figures surrounding a bed, set against a loosely rendered architectural backdrop that includes a cross.
Subject & Meaning
The scene depicts a ceremonial gathering linked to the legendary establishment of the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. A central figure lies in a bed while attendants, some kneeling, point or hold objects, suggesting a ritual or blessing. The inclusion of a cross and the surrounding structures alludes to the sacred context of the foundation narrative.
Technique & Style
Ricci employs swift, gestural lines to convey movement, contrasting stiffly draped robes with those caught in motion. Cross‑hatching builds tonal depth, while the brown wash unifies the composition. White heightening accentuates highlights, particularly on the figures’ faces and garments, creating a subtle chiaroscuro effect within the drawing’s modest scale.
History & Provenance
Created in the late sixteenth century, the drawing is attributed to Ricci, an Italian painter active in Rome. It survives as a singular example of his preparatory work for larger commissions related to Santa Maria Maggiore. The piece entered a private collection before being acquired by a museum, where it remains catalogued as a representative study of religious narrative illustration.
Artist & collection
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