William Oughtred
1657
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
Artist
William Faithorne
William Faithorne (1616–1691) was a British artist, born in Greater London.
See the richer artist page1657
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
William Oughtred is a 1657 ink by William Faithorne, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This is a black-and-white portrait of an older man with a full beard and curly hair. He’s wearing a dark robe with a white collar and cuffs, and his right hand rests on a small open book. The background is plain, so all the focus is on his face and hands. The tiny lines crisscrossing the whole image create the details—this is how the artist built up the shadows and textures. It’s a trick called cross-hatching. Next, look up cross-hatching to see how artists use lines to make depth.
William Faithorne (1616–1691) was a British artist, born in Greater London.
See the richer artist page
