1644
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Adam and Eve is a 1644 ink by Simone Cantarini, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows two figures tangled in vines and branches. One person is lying down, reaching up toward the other, who floats above with flowing hair. The trees around them are thick with leaves and flowers, but the figures look more like swirling lines than solid shapes. The artist used a technique that lets ink sit in the grooves of the plate, creating dark lines against a lighter background. That’s how the sketch’s soft shadows and detailed textures work. Next, look up etching to see how this method creates art.
Simone Cantarini or Simone da Pesaro, called il Pesarese (Baptized on 21 August 1612 – 15 October 1648) was an Italian painter and etcher.
See the richer artist page
