Gustavus Adolphus
1621
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1621
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This is a black-and-white engraving of a serious-looking man with a mustache and ruffled collar. He’s holding a sword in one hand and a piece of paper in the other. Around his head, there’s a fancy border with cherubs, crowns, and Latin words like *Gustavus Adolphus*. The text calls him a "King of the Swethens" and lists his titles, but the real detail is how the artist used tiny lines to create shadows and depth—this is called *cross-hatching*. Next, look up cross-hatching to see how artists build light and shadow with just lines.
