Female Figure (Penitent Magdalene?) [verso]

Donato Creti

1710

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque 18th Century

About this work

This sketch shows a woman leaning forward, her body twisted as if in motion. Her hair is loose, and she holds her hands near her face. The lines are quick and light, almost like a hurried note rather than a finished drawing. The paper has a textured background, and the ink is thin in spots, giving it a sketchy feel. This style was common for quick studies in the Baroque period. Next, look up cross-hatching to see how artists build up tone with layers of lines.