Gentleman Viewed from the Side
1621
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1621
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This woodcut shows two men in big, puffy clothes, walking side by side. They’re wearing tall hats with feathers and holding sticks. Their outfits look heavy, with lots of folds and fur trim. The lines are simple but show off the shapes of their coats and boots. The artist used a technique where the image is carved into wood, then inked and printed. This made the lines sharp and the shading clear, even though it’s just black and white. Check out how this woodcut works—it’s a whole art form with its own rules.
