Figure Studies including Seated Mother and Child
1735
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1735
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This sketch shows four figures drawn in quick, loose lines. On the left, a woman stands with her hands tucked into her robe, looking down. In the center, a seated woman cradles a child, her drapery flowing in soft folds. To the right, two more women stand, one with her arms crossed, the other resting a hand on her hip. The ground beneath them is rough, with scattered grass and rocks. The artist focused on the way fabric moves and how bodies turn. Notice how the seated woman’s robe swirls around her legs—it looks almost like smoke caught in motion. Next, look up etching to see how this technique works.
