A work made of chiaroscuro woodcut, in brown and black, from four blocks, with touches of brown watercolor, on cream laid paper.

The Virgin and Child with Saint John the Baptist

1591

Andrea Andreani (Italian, c. 1558/9–1629) after Alessandro Casolani (Italian, Italian, 1552–1606)

Italy

This tender composition of the Virgin and Child is a beautiful example of Andrea Andreani’s use of chiaroscuro woodcut, an early color-printing technique he revived and brought to new levels of technical sophistication. Using four different woodblocks printed in succession, Andreani created a tonally complex monochrome, carving highlights into one of the blocks that let the white of the paper shine through. This crisp, early impression shows corrections to the Virgin’s shoulder, perhaps added by hand in the artist’s workshop.

Chiaroscuro woodcut, in brown and black, from four blocks, with touches of brown watercolor, on cream laid paper

Prints and Drawings