The Virgin and Child with Saint John the Baptist
By trading the harmony of brown and yellow for the clash of red and green, Zanetti explored the impact of color on the appearance of his prints. The ochre inks in the work on the LEFT depict the shading of figures, drapery, and architecture within a narrow range of colors that evokes the restraint of a monochromatic image. The translation into red and green yields an unnatural palette that gives the scene an unsettling air. Such effects were easy to investigate with chiaroscuro woodcuts—images formed by successively printing multiple woodblocks, each in its own color.
Artwork Details
- Title: The Virgin and Child with Saint John the Baptist
- Series/Portfolio: From an album assembled by Zanetti
- Artist: Anton Maria Zanetti the Elder (Italian, Venice 1680–1767 Venice)
- Artist: After Parmigianino (Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola) (Italian, Parma 1503–1540 Casalmaggiore)
- Date: 1722
- Medium: Chiaroscuro woodcut, with dark brown line block and medium brown and mustard yellow tone blocks
- Dimensions: 9 13/16 x 5 9/16 in. (25.0 x 14.2 cm)
- Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1932
- Object Number: 32.12.2(16)
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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