Saint Sebastian at the Resurrection

Titian continues his preparation for a later painting of Saint Sebastian with this drawing that focuses on one key element of the composition

This sheet of paper contains just one individual artwork whilst some of his other study drawings would feature repetitions of the same thing several times across the same sheet of paper. Anatomy is possibly the most challenging genre for a draughtsman and even masters like Titian would be required to endlessly practice their art in order to achieve the best results.

The few surviving drawings from Titian's career offer an invaluable insight into his production techniques, such as how he put together different elements of his paintings as well as how he experimented with different poses prior to commencing the final painting. During the Renaissance most draughtsman would use chalk or charcoal.

This artist would try out different regions of a painting, some larger than others where greater detail was needed. Multiple sketches would have been produced for his more complex paintings, some of which may have been completed by some of his talented assistants. Practice was necessary for all, even the finest Renaissance artists whose skills were natural but also combined with years of study.