1626
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Kneeling Hermit Facing Left is a 1626 ink by Andries Both, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a lone figure kneeling on rocky ground, head bowed, hands clasped. The person’s robe clings to their body, and their hair is wild, as if caught in wind or grief. Behind them, twisted trees claw at the sky, their branches tangled and sharp. The artist used a rough, scratchy line to create texture—every fold of cloth and leaf looks hand-drawn and urgent. It’s like the lines were made fast, almost impatient. Next, look up etching to see how this technique works.
Andries Both (1612/1613 – 23 March 1642), was a Dutch genre painter. He was part of the group of Dutch and Flemish genre painters active in Rome in the 17th century known as the bamboccianti, who painted scenes from the…
See the richer artist page
