The Poet
1884
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1884
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
This is a black-and-white portrait of a man with a long beard and wavy hair. He’s looking slightly to the side, his face half-lit while the rest fades into shadow. The edges of his collar and hair are softly blurred, almost smudged. The artist used shading to make the face pop against the dark background—this is called *chiaroscuro*. It’s a trick to add depth with light and dark. Look up *chiaroscuro* to see how it works in other famous portraits.
