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Grotesque Heads

Bartholomeus Breenbergh

1638

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque Baroque

Dominant colour

Grotesque Heads is a 1638 ink by Bartholomeus Breenbergh, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Bartholomeus Breenbergh
When & what style?: 1638 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This print shows two strange, twisted faces pressed close together. Their features are exaggerated—big noses, wild hair, and sharp angles—like carved stone. The background is just dark lines, so the faces stand out even more. The artist used a technique that lets them look rough and uneven, almost like scratched metal. This was a way to show emotion without smooth, pretty lines. Next, look up etching to see how artists like this one made prints with acid and needles.