Bathers

About this work

This drawing shows three women bathing in a shallow creek. Their long dresses pool around their ankles. One bends to wash her arm. The paper has a rough, fibrous texture. The artist used charcoal to build soft shadows and sharp lines. He scratched details into the surface, making the water ripple. This technique, called scumbling, lets him blend tones right on the paper. Look next at works by Babcock, William Perkins.