The Madonna and Child with Saint Bartholomew and a Bishop Saint

Although Girolamo da Treviso's early career remains largely a mystery, according to Vasari, he worked in Treviso and Venice before arriving in Bologna by 1523. The present sheet is an outstanding example of the artist's virtuoso skill as a draughtsman. It reveals his painterly handling of the medium, as the pen line is punctuated by wash and accents of white heightening to create a play of light and shadow. Anchored in the center of the composition, the Madonna and Child are flanked by Bartholomew who bears a knife -- symbolic of his martyrdom of being flayed alive -- and a Bishop Saint wearing a miter and holding a long crozier. Serene and harmonious, the drawing is executed to a high degree of finish, suggesting that its function was preparatory for a painting of the same subject.