Paintings & Drawings

Cave paintings, drawings, etchings, frescoes, paintings on wood or canvas, in tempera or oil or acrylic, the sheer volume of artworks available from the more than 10,000 sites, churches, private or public collections is astounding.  

By consulting our archive, one can easily trace the history of figurative art, with a particular focus on painting and drawing. The archive contains a variety of materials, from sketches and preparatory cartoons to finished works, allowing for an analysis of how different themes and concepts, such as motherhood, family, still lives, and acts of courage like David vs. Goliath, have been interpreted across different periods and cultures. Whether you are focusing on a secular or religious theme, Western or Eastern, ancient or contemporary, SCALA can provide assistance with your project. 

Scala and its specialized photo lab make it possible to obtain, conserve and reproduce the details of artworks in such high quality that they can be replicated in very large formats. More information about this aspect can be found in the details page. 

Here’s a small selection of images and video clips available. 

To search for specific content within Scala Archives click on the magnifying glass icon. 

If you can’t find what you’re looking for, or if you’re not sure what you need for a project, feel free to contact our team of experienced researchers.