1817
chalk
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Hope with Her Anchor is a 1817 chalk by Merry-Joseph Blondel, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a woman kneeling on one knee, her body turned slightly away from us. She wears a flowing dress with soft folds, and her hair is pulled back under a headpiece. One arm stretches out in front of her, palm up, while the other rests on her hip. The background is just a plain blue-gray tone, keeping all focus on her. Her pose feels both graceful and strong, like she’s holding up something heavy. The way the chalk lines catch the light on her dress makes it look almost three-dimensional. Next, check out the technique: chiaroscuro to see how artists use light and shadow to create depth.
Merry-Joseph Blondel (French pronunciation: ; 25 July 1781 – 12 June 1853) was a French history painter of the Neoclassical school.
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