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Genius

William Holbrook Beard

1865

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century eagle

Dominant colour

Genius is a 1865 ink by William Holbrook Beard, a Impressionism work, depicting eagle, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: William Holbrook Beard
When & what style?: 1865 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This drawing shows a bearded man in a cap. His face is lit from the side, shadows sharp under his brow and cheek. One hand rests on his chin, lost in thought. Beard often drew working-class folks with quiet dignity. Here, the man’s rough clothes and tired eyes feel real. The artist used tiny lines to build up light and dark, a trick called cross-hatching. Want to see more like this? Look up William Holbrook Beard.