Tintoretto's Underdrawing for 'Saint George and the Dragon'

Jill Dunkerton
Technical Bulletin Volume 28, 2007

Abstract 

Tintoretto’s canvas of Saint George and the Dragon was examined using the newly developed SIRIS digital infrared camera in order to investigate the relationship between the underdrawing and Tintoretto’s well-known study on paper for the figure of the dead man lying in front of Saint George’s horse. In common with many of Tintoretto’s drawings, this study has a ruled grid for enlargement and transfer of the design. Infrared examination confirms that the study was transferred to the canvas by this means and has also revealed the existence of an earlier dead figure drawn in a different position.

Keywords

infrared reflectography, Saint George and the Dragon, sixteenth-century Venetian technique, squared drawings, Tintoretto, underdrawing, X-radiography

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To cite this article we suggest using

Dunkerton, J. 'Tintoretto's Underdrawing for "Saint George and the Dragon"'. National Gallery Technical Bulletin Vol 28, pp 26–35.
http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/technical-bulletin/dunkerton2007

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