Caryatid with Yoke and Scroll

The drawing Caryatid with Yoke and Scroll is attributed to an artist working after the original designs of Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael, and his workshop Italian, 1483-1520. Created sometime between 1700 and 1720 in Italy, this piece exemplifies the enduring legacy of Renaissance masters during the early Baroque period, highlighting the continued academic importance of studying Raphael’s decorative programs. The medium employed is primarily red chalk, skillfully enhanced by the application of brush and red chalk wash. This technique allows for sophisticated tonal modeling and depth, applied meticulously on ivory laid paper that has been laid down on card, demonstrating the careful effort involved in copying these classical forms.

The subject depicts a powerful caryatid figure, a sculpted female form used architecturally as a supporting column, further emphasized by the presence of a yoke and a scroll. Such motifs were fundamental to the comprehensive decorative schemes executed by Raphael’s circle in Rome, particularly within the Vatican palaces. During the early 18th century, detailed drawings of these designs served as vital instructional tools for artists studying both classical antiquity and the innovations of the High Renaissance. This work reflects the widespread practice among Italian artists of the time to copy and circulate the master’s architectural and figural ideas. This preparatory drawing, preserved as part of the distinguished permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, remains a valuable record of both the original design concepts and later academic practices in Italy. Today, many of these historically significant drawings, like the conceptual designs seen in Caryatid with Yoke and Scroll, are widely available in the public domain, allowing high-quality prints and studies to be appreciated globally.