Bird of Paradise
1628
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1628
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This drawing shows a bird in mid-flight against a simple sky. Below it, a wavy line looks like water, with a small shoreline and a few tiny buildings or trees. The lines are loose and quick, almost like sketches. The bird looks like it’s gliding, with wings spread wide. The paper has a textured look, like it was made by hand long ago. If you like this style, look up etching to see how artists like this made prints.