Silverpoint and Metalpoint

Metalpoint is an ancient way of making marks, dating back thousands of years. From at least the Roman era and likely earlier, soft metal has been used as a marking tool. The Romans used a rod of lead for writing on wood, a practice which likely persisted long afterward (hence our name for graphite pencils is "lead"). Whether lead was used by artists isn't clear but by the Medieval period metalpoint was used in laying out manuscript illuminations, though the primary medium in manuscript images was paint.

Hoff, "Rosebud," silverpoint on panel, 2010

By the Renaissance, silver, also a fairly soft metal, was used for drawing. Silverpoint drawing on a prepared panel was the method to compose a picture for its final tempera or oil overpainting. Silverpoint has the advantage of not smudging or getting into subsequent paint, unlike charcoal. Silver was used for sketches and drawings too. Although there are quite a number of surviving metalpoints by various masters, most were not intended to survive as stand-alone art and were only saved as reference materials.

Hoff, "Bernini 1635 Self Portrait," silverpoint, 2019

Metalpoint declined in popularity among artists during subsequent centuries, so that by the beginning of the 20th there were few artists practicing what had become an obscure medium. For someone interested in learning, that meant a real struggle. Older references were few, scattered, and scanty, appropriate materials difficult to find, and personal instruction virtually non-existent. Still, metalpoint drawing continued in the hands of a few. During the century other metals--gold, platinum, aluminum and copper--came into wider use. Supports and grounds improved.  

Michael Nichols, "Smaze," silverpoint on paper, 2013

Now a new book, Silverpoint and Metalpoint Drawing, A Complete Guide to the Medium, has at last been issued to cover the entire scope of metalpoint. After a useful overview of the medium and its history the book proceeds step by step through a guide to useful and available tools; grounds and how they are prepared; a practical, how-to chapter on drawing techniques with various kinds of metalpoint tools; a chapter dealing with metalpoint combined with mixed media; a chapter on how to store, frame, and ship metalpoint; and a long and exciting final section of contemporary metalpoint.

Tom Mazzullo, "Ruff," silverpoint on prepared paper, 2017

One of the valuable features of the book is its close attention to materials and sources. The chapter on how to prepare papers and other supports is worth the price of the entire book. But so is the chapter on tools and metals, and so is the one on technique. The authors fill the book with beautiful examples of metalpoints--mostly silverpoint, but others are there too--from historical masters and from contemporary ones.

Highly recommended for anybody interested in metalpoint drawing. An aficionado will gain a wide knowledge and the practicing artist is bound to find important nuggets throughout.











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