Louis Tocque
1771
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1771
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This is a black-and-white portrait of a man in a wig and fancy 18th-century clothes. He’s holding a piece of paper and a brush, looking serious. The background is just a plain oval frame with some light shading around the edges. The artist used tiny lines to create shadows and texture—this is called *engraving*. It’s not a painting, so no colors here. Next, check out the technique: engraving to see how artists like this made detailed prints.
