1530
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Grotesque Decorations for Wall Panels is a 1530 ink by Giovanni da Udine, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This drawing shows two tall, narrow panels filled with strange, swirling shapes. The lines are all done in brown ink, with lots of shading to make the forms pop. You can see tiny details like leaves, faces, and odd creatures mixed into the patterns. These kinds of drawings were often used to decorate walls. The artist used quick, sketchy lines to fill the space with weird, fancy designs. Next, check out cross-hatching to see how artists build shadows with lines.
Giovanni Nanni, also Giovanni de' Ricamatori, better known as Giovanni da Udine (1487–1564), was an Italian painter and architect born in Udine. A painter also named Giovanni da Udine was exiled from his native city in 1472.
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