Saint Paul before Festus and Agrippa
1574
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From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1574
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This crowded scene shows a group of people in old-fashioned clothes, packed into a room with a throne and a stage. A man in armor kneels in front of the throne, while others stand or sit around him—some pointing, some talking. A dog lies on the floor near the front, and a small boy stands beside a soldier. The background has tall buildings and a crowd outside, all drawn with sharp lines and shadows. The artist used tiny lines to build up dark and light areas, making the figures look three-dimensional. This method is called cross-hatching. Look up cross-hatching to see how it works.
