Adoration of the Magi, Federico Barocci, 1545 - 1612

pen and brown ink, with brown wash, heightened with white and light yellow, over a sketch in black chalk, on blue paper, h 293mm × w 209mm More details

This drawing clearly reveals the artist’s working process. He first made a quick sketch, subsequently working out the depiction with pen and brown ink. Barocci was not pleased with the result and changed the position of the standing king's head three times. He then modelled the figures with opaque white, so that the group emerges as a relief from the blue background.