Abraham Paying Tithes to Melchisedek
1530
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
1530
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Abraham Paying Tithes to Melchisedek is a 1530 ink by Battista Franco, a Renaissance work, depicting Hunting, held at National Gallery of Art.
Battista Franco made this old-testament scene with sharp, scratchy lines. Abraham kneels before Melchisedek, who wears a fussy bishop’s hat. The background is almost empty so the figures stand out. This print uses two techniques at once: etching melts acid into metal, while drypoint digs lines with a needle. The mix gives the robes a soft sheen and the faces tiny shadows. Want to see how metal can draw light? Look up Franco, Battista.
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