Bathing Woman
1525
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1525
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This engraving shows a woman bending over, washing her feet in a shallow pool. Her back is turned, and you can see the curve of her spine and the folds of her loose dress. The water ripples around her hands, and a towel hangs on a branch nearby. The artist used tiny parallel lines to build up shadows and textures—her skin, the water, even the fabric. It’s all done with just ink and paper, no color. Next, look up engraving to see how this technique works.
