Bust of an Italian Woman
1878
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From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1878
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This sketch shows a woman’s side profile, her hair pulled back neatly. She’s wearing a high-necked dress with a shawl draped over her shoulders. The lines are loose and quick, like a sketch rather than a finished drawing. The artist used a drypoint technique, which means the lines were scratched into a metal plate. This left a slightly rough, textured look. Next, look up technique: drypoint to see how it works.
