A Philosopher Shewing an Experiment on the Air Pump
1769
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1769
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This black-and-white print shows a group of people watching a man at a table. He’s holding a glass container with a pump, and a bird inside looks like it’s struggling. The room has shelves, a window, and a cage hanging up. Everyone is dressed in old-fashioned clothes, some looking curious, others worried. The bird in the glass might be a clue about what’s happening—it’s not clear if this is science or something more dramatic. The artist used deep shadows to make the scene feel intense. Look up chiaroscuro to see how this strong light-and-dark contrast works.
