Madonna and Child with Saints John and Luke
1558
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1558
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This drawing shows a group of figures packed tightly together. At the center, a woman holds a small child, surrounded by two men and a cherubic boy. The background has buildings and wispy clouds, while the figures’ robes flow in loose, sketchy lines. Notice how the artist used quick, overlapping strokes to fill the robes and clouds—it’s almost like scribbling. The brown wash gives everything a warm, faded look. Look up cross-hatching next to see how artists build shadows this way.
