Mary Magdalene Kneeling (Madeleine a genoux)
1858
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1858
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This sketch shows a woman kneeling with her hands clasped, her head bowed. The lines are loose and wavy, almost like scribbles, with some areas filled in darker. The background has faint, parallel strokes that look like they might be hair or fabric. The artist used a mix of thick and thin lines to suggest form without detail. This style was one way to show emotion without getting stuck on realism. Next, check out cliché-verre, the printing process used here.
