1597
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Pieta (the "Christ of Caprarola") is a 1597 ink by Annibale Carracci, a Renaissance work, depicting Lamentation of Christ, held at National Gallery of Art.
This is a dark etching of a seated woman holding a dead man on her lap. The lines are scratchy and uneven, like quick knife cuts. Light comes from the top left, carving deep shadows under their chins and robes. It shows grief in raw form. The woman’s face is calm but her hands clench the man’s arm too tight. The uneven lines make the scene feel urgent, like a sketch not meant for polish. Look up Carracci, Annibale if you want to see how this rough style becomes smooth in his paintings.
Annibale Carracci ( kə-RAH-chee, UK also kə-RATCH-ee, Italian: ; November 3, 1560 – July 15, 1609) was an Italian painter and instructor, active in Bologna and later in Rome.
See the richer artist page
