Silenus
1779
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
1779
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Silenus is a 1779 ink by Robert Blyth, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a fuzzy-haired, bearded face peeking out from a tangle of vines and leaves. The background looks like a rough, rocky hillside. The whole image is drawn in black lines on light paper, with no color. The artist used fine lines to show wrinkles and texture, making the face look old and wild. The word "Silenus" is written at the bottom—this was a mythical half-man, half-goat figure from ancient stories. Next, check out the technique: etching to see how artists like this made detailed prints.
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