The New Ballad
1903
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1903
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
The New Ballad is a 1903 by Anders Zorn, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This sketch shows two people sitting close together, their faces blurred and rough with lines. One holds a piece of paper or cloth, while the other leans in, their hands resting on their lap. The background is dark and filled with quick, sketchy strokes—no clear details, just shadows and shapes. The artist used lots of cross-hatching (tiny crisscrossed lines) to create depth, especially on the faces and clothes. It looks like they were in a hurry or wanted to keep it simple. Next, check out chiaroscuro to see how artists use light and shadow like this.
