Holy Family with Saint Anne and Female Head in Profile
1710
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1710
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This sketch shows five figures in a tight group, all drawn in quick, loose lines. The woman in the center holds a child, while another child sits nearby. Behind them, a man and a woman in profile lean in, as if watching. The paper has a textured background, and the artist used lots of crisscrossed lines to shade the figures. The sketch feels rushed but full of movement—like a quick study rather than a finished work. The artist used a technique where lines overlap to create shadows, which gives the drawing depth. Next, check out cross-hatching to see how artists build up tone with lines.
![Magdalene Washing the Feet of Christ with Eight Disciples Looking On [recto]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/25318e941cc7fc91/thumb.webp)
![The Adoration of the Magi [recto]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/2cfd5d76b55e821e/thumb.webp)
![Penitent Magdalene with Angels in a Landscape [recto]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/329b67c038e377df/thumb.webp)
