Right Hand Holding Short Rod
1847
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1847
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This drawing shows a single hand holding a short, straight rod. The fingers wrap around it, and the thumb presses in from the side. The artist used tight, crisscrossed lines to shade the hand and rod, making them look three-dimensional. The date "Florence Dec. 47" is written in the corner, hinting this sketch was made while traveling. The hand looks relaxed but precise, like a study for a larger work. Next, check out cross-hatching to see how artists build shadows with lines.
![Study of a Right Hand [recto]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/88b544f65d3eb1a7/thumb.webp)
