1585
chalk
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Portrait of an Ecclesiastic Wearing a Biretta is a 1585 chalk by Annibale Carracci, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a man’s head turned slightly to the side, wearing a tight-fitting hat with a stiff brim. His face is drawn in red chalk, with light strokes outlining his beard, jaw, and ears. The background is plain, letting the lines stand out clearly. The artist used white chalk to add highlights, making the face pop against the warm red. The hat’s folds and the beard’s texture are simple but precise. Next, look up Carracci, Annibale to see how he shaped other faces with chalk.
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.
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