An Artist Seated at His Easel [recto]
1634
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1634
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
An Artist Seated at His Easel [recto] is a 1634 ink by Andries Both, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows two men in a rough, quick style. One sits on a stool, holding a long tool like a broom or staff, while the other stands nearby, leaning on a stick. Their clothes look worn, and the lines are scratchy and uneven. The artist used lots of overlapping lines to create shadows and texture—this is called cross-hatching. It’s like scribbling layers to build up dark spots. Next, check out cross-hatching to see how artists use simple lines to make depth.
