Das Gastmahl des Trimalchio: pl. I (The Banquet of Trimalchio: pl. I)

Lovis Corinth

1919

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Early Modern

About this work

This sketch shows a rough, sketchy face with wild, tangled hair and a scraggly beard. The lines are all jagged and uneven, like they were drawn fast with a sharp tool. The background is just more scratches, no clear shapes—just texture. The artist used a drypoint tool, pressing into the paper to leave behind these scratchy, almost chaotic lines. It’s not smooth or polished; it feels raw and quick, like a first draft. If you like this style, check out technique: drypoint.