Home Online catalogues Studi & Schizzi 72. Attributed to Domenico Ghirlandaio Florence 1449 – 1494 Florence Head of a Boy, in Profile to Left In this drawing the artist pays particular attention to the light, the source of which is located in front of the model. He conveys its effects by highlighting the more brightly-lit areas with biacca, white bodycolour. This was applied a tratteggio, in other words a network of parallel lines drawn with the tip of a very fine brush. This technique is reminiscent of the one used by Ghirlandaio in his frescoes and his tempera panels, in particular for painting the details of the figures’ faces.
In this drawing the artist pays particular attention to the light, the source of which is located in front of the model. He conveys its effects by highlighting the more brightly-lit areas with biacca, white bodycolour. This was applied a tratteggio, in other words a network of parallel lines drawn with the tip of a very fine brush. This technique is reminiscent of the one used by Ghirlandaio in his frescoes and his tempera panels, in particular for painting the details of the figures’ faces.