Saint Louis of Toulouse Holding a Book

Giovanni Bellini

1464

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Religious

About this work

This sketch shows a robed figure standing upright, holding a book in one hand. The person wears a tall, pointed hat and a long, flowing garment with deep folds. The lines are loose and sketchy, almost like quick notes rather than a finished drawing. The drawing uses thin, layered lines to build up shadow and form—a technique that makes the fabric look textured. It’s not polished, which makes it feel like a study rather than a final work. Next, check out cross-hatching to see how artists use layered lines like this.