The Proverbs: The Men in Sacks
1864
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1864
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
This sketch shows a group of people in dark, flowing robes, huddled together in a dim, shadowy space. The figures look tense, with some leaning on each other and one person kneeling on the ground. Their faces are blurred, making them hard to read, and the background is almost entirely black, leaving only their outlines visible. The artist used strong contrasts between light and dark to create drama, focusing attention on the shapes of the robes. This technique is called *chiaroscuro*—a way to add depth with light and shadow. Look up chiaroscuro to see how artists like Caravaggio used it to make scenes feel even more intense.
