The Virgin, Saint John, and Mary Magdalene at the Foot of the Cross
1650
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1650
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This engraving shows three people at the foot of a cross. Jesus isn’t visible—just the empty cross against a dark sky. Mary, John, and Magdalene kneel in grief, their faces lit by a pale light. It’s unusual because it’s an engraving, not a painting. The artist used sharp lines, called cross-hatching, to shade the figures. You can almost feel the texture if you touch the page. Look up *engraving* if you want to see how this technique works.
