Sophonisba
1553
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1553
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
A woman in a long dress stands facing us. Her left hand rests on a stone pedestal. She wears a simple headband. This engraving by Heinrich Aldegrever shows Sophonisba, a Carthaginian queen. The artist lived in Germany in the 1500s. He carved this picture on metal, using tiny lines called cross-hatching to create shadows. Look for the same quiet strength in engravings by Albrecht Dürer.
