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Nine Figures

Unknown

1515

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Allegory

Dominant colour

Nine Figures is a 1515 ink by Unknown, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1515 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows nine twisted bodies tangled together. Some are reaching out, others are half-hidden under limbs. The green background looks like it was painted first, with quick ink lines layered on top. Faces are blurred but you can still see the struggle in their arms and legs. The loose, sketchy lines make it feel like a quick study, not a finished painting. The artist used ink and gray wash to build up shadows and shapes. Look up cross-hatching to see how artists create depth with just lines.