The Circumcision of Christ
1654
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1654
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This etching shows a group of figures crowded around a baby in a manger. The baby is lying on a cloth, with a grown man standing nearby, holding a small bird. Other figures—some with wings—lean in, looking down or reaching toward the baby. The background has a window with curtains and a faint landscape outside. The lines are dark and scratchy, full of movement. The artist used a technique that lets ink pile up in some spots, making the lines look thick and dramatic. Next, look up etching, drypoint, aquatint.
