Man Kneeling

Ernst Barlach

1916

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Early Modern

About this work

This sketch shows a person kneeling with their hands clasped in prayer. The figure wears a long robe with deep folds, and their head is bowed. The drawing is loose and quick, with shading that makes the fabric look heavy. Notice how the artist used lots of parallel lines to build up dark areas—this is called *cross-hatching*. It gives the robe texture and weight without heavy outlines. Look up technique: cross-hatching to see how artists use it to create depth.