Allegory of Sea Trade

Allegory of Sea Trade, a drawing created between 1700 and 1799, is based on the influential compositions of Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael (Italian, 1483-1520). This detailed study is executed in red chalk on ivory laid paper, a technique widely used across Italy during the 18th century for producing accurate reproductions of classical and Renaissance masterpieces. As a graphic work, it demonstrates the enduring reverence for Raphael’s classical draftsmanship long after the High Renaissance period.

Although separated by centuries, this piece illustrates how Raphael’s compositions remained essential teaching models, providing artists with templates for figures and narrative structure. Drawings based on his original frescoes or cartoons often circulated among workshops and collectors, serving as critical intermediaries for subsequent engravings, tapestries, and decorative prints. The subject, focusing on maritime commerce and trade, suggests the source material was likely a design for a major commission intended for a public space or a wealthy private patron involved in merchant activities in Italy. The meticulous use of red chalk highlights the sculptural qualities and dramatic anatomical representation characteristic of the master’s designs.

The meticulous quality of the drawing suggests it functioned as a finished study or modello rather than just a preparatory sketch, underscoring the pedagogical importance of copying classical masters throughout the 18th century. This important example of later classical draughtsmanship is housed in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Its inclusion in major museum collections ensures that details of this enduring tradition are available for scholarly research. Moreover, as the work is now part of a major public domain collection, the influence of Raphael on later generations can be studied widely through high-quality prints and digital resources.