The Greek Poet Sappho and the Girl from Mytilene
1809
From the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst
1809
From the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst
This painting shows a woman sitting on a rock, holding a small child. The woman wears a simple white dress with a green shawl and a red headscarf. The child is bare-chested and reaches up toward her face, looking tender. The background is a dark, shadowy landscape with trees and a dim sky. The woman’s face is half-lit, while the child’s skin glows softly against the shadows. This play of light and dark draws your eye to their connection. Look up chiaroscuro next to see how this lighting trick works.
