Lear and Cordelia
1807
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
1807
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Lear and Cordelia is a 1807 ink by Butts, Jr., Thomas, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white engraving shows two faces close together in a circle. The person on the left has long, wavy hair and a full white beard. The person on the right has smooth, shorter hair and a gentle expression. Both faces are turned slightly toward each other, as if sharing a quiet moment. The artist used tiny parallel lines to create shading, giving the hair and skin texture. This technique is called cross-hatching. Look up engraving to see how artists build depth with lines.
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