Maternity

Eugène Carrière

1896

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism Late 19th Century

About this work

This sketch shows a woman’s head and shoulders turned slightly away. Her hair is loose, flowing down her back, and her face is soft and blurred. The lines are light and smudged, like quick strokes with a finger or a soft brush. The artist used only black on a dark background, making the image feel quiet and intimate. The focus is on the shape of her head and hair, not details. Next, look up lithography to see how this print was made.