The Drawing Hand of a Portuguese Mannerist Painter

Abstract

he materials and graphical layout of the underdrawing of two sets of paintings attributed, on stylistic grounds, to the workshop of the Portuguese painter Francisco João (doc. 1558-1595) were investigated using infrared reflectography. Two types of underdrawing were found. Comparison between each group of paintings enabled to identify a characteristic drawing style that can be of assistance in future studies on the work of Francisco João. Material evidence related to the painting technique and the underdrawing layout suggests that the painter was responsible for both the underdrawing and the painting stage. This relevant information sheds new light into the working conditions of regional mannerist Portuguese workshops and contributes with material data to the scarce information on these issues found in historic documentary sources.