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Saint Ambrose Suppressing Heresy

Gottfried Bernhard Götz

1741

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque 18th Century Religious

Dominant colour

Saint Ambrose Suppressing Heresy is a 1741 ink by Gottfried Bernhard Götz, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Gottfried Bernhard Götz
When & what style?: 1741 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a robed man with a long beard and halo, standing firmly over a crumpled figure on the ground. His right hand points upward while his left rests on his chest, and a scroll or book is tucked under his arm. The background has faint sketches of clouds and what looks like a building or throne, with quick, loose lines. The artist used ink and wash to build up shadows and textures, especially in the folds of the robe and the man’s beard. The paper is divided into squares, likely to help transfer the drawing to a larger surface. Check out the technique: cross-hatching to see how artists build up dark tones with layered lines.