Tête de femme (Head of a Woman)

Henri-Charles Guérard

1895

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century

About this work

This image shows a simple black-and-white drawing of a woman’s face and shoulders. Her hair is pulled back, and she’s wearing a high collar. The background is just a plain orange square of paper. The artist used a woodcut technique—carving into wood and printing it—to make this image. The lines are bold but a little rough, giving it a handmade feel. Next, look up woodcut to see how this printing method works.