Mr. Henry Smith
1660
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1660
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Mr. Henry Smith is a 1660 ink by Thomas Cross, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white engraving shows a serious-looking man in a dark robe and white collar. His long beard and mustache frame a focused face, and he’s holding an open book with one hand while gesturing with the other. The background is plain, keeping all the attention on his expression and the detailed lines of his clothes. The text below calls him "the Reverend, Faithfull and worthy Minister of Jesus Christ," which hints he was likely a preacher. The intricate shading in his face and hands comes from a technique called cross-hatching. Check out more about cross-hatching to see how artists build depth with just lines.
