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Etude

Antonio de la Gandara

1895

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century Portrait

Dominant colour

Etude is a 1895 ink by Antonio de la Gandara, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Antonio de la Gandara
When & what style?: 1895 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a side profile of a person’s head and shoulders. The lines are loose and quick, with just enough detail to suggest hair, a collar, and a face turned slightly away. The brown ink stands out against the light paper, giving it a simple, sketchy feel. The artist focused on capturing the shape and angle of the head rather than fine details. This style was common in quick studies, where the goal was to get the likeness down fast. Next, look up lithography to see how this printmaking technique works.