Sultaness in a Veiled Turban, Seen from Behind
1650
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1650
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This sketch shows a woman’s head turned slightly away, her hair pulled up in a loose bun with a few strands escaping. The fabric of her turban and shoulder wrap is drawn in quick, crisscrossing lines, giving it texture. Her face is simple, with just a hint of detail in her ear and the curve of her cheek. The artist used a method called *etching*—ink pressed into lines scratched into metal—to create this portrait. The lines are sharp but soft, like a sketch that’s been carefully refined. Next, check out how *etching* works to see how this technique makes marks like these.
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