A drawing by Raphael for the Piccolomini Library

Drawing is a revealing clue to one painter's soul.
The Uffizi Galleries own plenty of drawings of exceptional value that, lacking colours, tell about the most authentic feature of an artist, the first imprint on a white sheet.
They are very fragile works that cannot be put on view for a long period due to their photosensitivity.
Marzia Faietti, former director of the Department of Drawings and Prints of the Uffizi, shows us a precious drawing by Raphael.
It is a preparatory drawing for the frescoes in the Piccolomini Library, executed to celebrate the memory of Enea Silvio Piccolomini (Pope Pius II) and to preserve the large collection of books the Pope had gathered during his stay in Rome.
Raphael was chosen for this work, actually painted by Pinturicchio, for his extraordinary skill in bringing innovative solutions.
The Master of Urbino was also called the "silent poet", because "painting is silent poetry" and "poetry is speaking painting".
Like this drawing, which is pure "poetry".