Frau Gottfried von Herder
1786
graphite
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1786
graphite
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This sketch shows a woman with a big, powdered wig and a fancy necklace. Her dress has ruffles and buttons, and she’s framed by a decorative oval border with flowers and leaves. The lines are soft and sketchy, like it was drawn quickly. The paper looks old and the shading is light, giving it a gentle, almost ghostly feel. This style fits the early days of a movement that valued emotion over strict rules. Check out Romanticism to see how artists started focusing on feeling and nature.
