We saw the Frederico Barocci exhibit at the St. Louis Art Museum. Federico Barocci (c. 1526, Urbino – 1612, Urbino) was an Italian Renaissance painter and printmaker. A student of Michaelangelo, Barocci is not well known in the U.S. This is an impressive exhibit with works lent by The National Gallery of London, The British Museum, Vatican Museum and the Uffizi, among others. I particularly enjoyed the wealth of preliminary drawings, cartoons (drawings for transfer to canvas, not humorous art), and compositional studies. It is always satisfying to see the process used for making art. Like all of us, the Masters had to overcome problems, try different ideas and poses, correct mistakes and work hard to accomplish their goal. It is nice to see a cumbersome preliminary sketch reworked into something useful. I hope everyone who takes in this exhibit appreciates that art, like all noble endeavors, is hard work rife with challenges and not something that magically appears on canvas, paper or screen. It’s immensely satisfying, but not without sweat. If you’re in St. Louis or visiting before January 20th, be sure to see Barocci. And consider becoming a member of the St. Louis Art Museum.