The Destruction of the Temple of Baal and the Slaughter of His Priests
1569
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1569
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This image is a busy black-and-white scene packed with figures. At the center, two robed men stand on a raised platform, one holding a sword. Around them, people fight, some on the ground, others holding weapons. A building burns in the background, and a few figures flee. The lines are sharp and detailed, with lots of shading to show muscles and clothes. Notice how the artist used tiny parallel lines to create shadows and textures—this is called cross-hatching. It makes the scene look three-dimensional even though it’s just ink on paper. Want to see more like this? Look up engraving.
