The Madonna and Child Enthroned with a Bishop Saint and a Kneeling Ecclesiastic
1824
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1824
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This drawing shows a group of five figures in a simple room. On the left, a bishop in a tall hat holds a staff. In the center, a robed woman sits on a throne holding a small child. To her right, a kneeling man in a hooded robe reaches toward her. Two small children sit on the floor in front of them. The drawing is mostly in brown ink with some shading. The bishop’s staff and the throne’s carvings look carefully detailed, but the figures themselves are drawn with loose, quick lines. This sketchy style makes the scene feel more like a study than a finished work. Next, check out cross-hatching to see how artists use layers of lines to build shadows.
