1561
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Tactus (Touch) is a 1561 ink by Cornelis Cort, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This engraving shows a robed figure lying down with their eyes closed, one arm raised as if reaching. A bird perches on their hand, and another small creature sits nearby. The scene looks like a forest—there’s a tree with bare branches, a spiderweb, and scattered plants. The figure’s face is calm, almost peaceful, while their body is wrapped in flowing cloth. The title *Tactus* (Touch) hints this might be about the senses. The artist used fine lines to show texture, like the folds in the fabric or the feathers of the bird. Look up engraving to see how artists like Cort carved these detailed lines into metal.
Cornelis Cort (c. 1533 – c. 17 March 1578) was a Dutch engraver and draughtsman. He spent the last 12 years of his life in Italy, where he was known as Cornelio Fiammingo.
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