The Rape of Ganymede
1545
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1545
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This drawing shows a muscular, winged figure carrying a young man in its arms. The eagle-like creature has sharp claws and feathers, while the boy looks down with a calm face. Dark clouds swirl around them, and the edges of the paper are framed in a simple gold border. Notice how the artist used soft brown washes to create depth in the sky and feathers. The white highlights on the wings and the boy’s skin make them stand out against the darker background. Look up watercolor, glazing next to see how artists build up layers of color like this.
