Guardhouse
1762
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1762
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This scene shows a chaotic guardhouse with people sprawled on the floor. A man in a hat leans over a wounded soldier, while another figure lies slumped nearby. Above them, a guard slumps against a wall, his head down. Weapons and a lantern sit unused in the corner. The whole image is in earthy brown tones, giving it a rough, sketchy feel. The artist used a mix of fine lines and rough shading to create texture—notice how the faces and clothes look almost scratched in. This was done with a technique called *aquatint*, which lets ink spread for soft tones. Next, look up technique: aquatint to see how it works.
