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Three Sleeping Sprites with a Satyr

Salomon Gessner

1769

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism 18th Century

Dominant colour

Three Sleeping Sprites with a Satyr is a 1769 ink by Salomon Gessner, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Salomon Gessner
When & what style?: 1769 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This etching shows four figures tangled in a forest. Three small, winged shapes lie curled together on a pile of leaves, while a larger, furry creature leans over them. The trees around them are thick and tangled, with dark, swirling lines that fill the background. The water below is calm, with tiny waves marked by quick, light strokes. The artist used a sharp tool to scratch into the metal plate, creating the dark lines and textures. This method lets the ink fill the grooves, making the image pop against the light paper. Look up etching to see how artists like Gessner made prints this way.