Incredulity of Saint Thomas

This is a study for the composition of a painting executed for Bartolomeo Fabri of Cento and today in the National Gallery, London. Characteristic of Guercino’s early draftsmanship are its extraordinary economy in the description of form and rhythm in the movement of line. However preliminary, the drawing not only establishes the basic design -- the position and behavior of the protagonists -- but already suggests the pictorial properties -- the saturated color and intense light -- of the finished work. It is the only drawing known to relate to the paint-ing