Saint Ambrose Suppressing Heresy
Before a massive fresco was painted, it often started as a grid-covered sketch like this one. Here, Saint Ambrose stands tall in his bishop's vestments, looking down at a defeated figure—likely the heretic Arius—lying next to a book. The grid lines you see are a classic artist's trick called 'squaring,' used to copy the image onto a larger surface perfectly. Götz used fluid ink washes to create the dramatic, swirling folds of the saint's robes, capturing the theatrical energy of the Rococo movement even in a preparatory drawing.
- Technique
- Pen and ink with wash
- Material
- Paper