Dying Woman (La Mourante)
1885
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1885
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This sketch shows a woman lying on her side, her body turned away from us. Her hair is wild, one arm bent under her head, the other stretched out. The lines are loose and scratchy, almost like quick notes. The paper looks worn, with marks that suggest the artist used different tools—maybe a needle or a rough-edged tool—to create texture. It’s not smooth or polished. Next, look up etching to see how artists use acid and metal plates to make prints like this.
