The Lute Player

Unknown

1701

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque 18th Century Allegory

About this work

This sketch shows a woman playing a lute, her body turned mid-motion. Her long hair flows loosely, and her fingers press lightly on the strings. The paper is slightly yellowed, with ink lines that look rough and quick—like a first draft. The artist used lots of shading to show folds in her clothes and the curve of her arm. This style makes the figure pop against the plain background. Next, look up cross-hatching to see how artists build shadows with lines.