The Virgin Protectress of the City of Siena
1588
Francesco Vanni's energetic sketch bursts with early Baroque drama, showing the Virgin Mary floating on clouds above the skyline of Siena. A monk and a nun gaze up in awe while cherubs swarm around her, with two at the very top busy holding a crown. This looks like a busy workshop page, complete with decorative scrollwork doodled on the side, capturing the moment the artist was brainstorming a grand altarpiece to thank the Virgin for saving the city from plague.
- Technique
- Pen and ink drawing
- Material
- Paper