The Towing Path
1864
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1864
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This sketch shows a woman in a long coat walking a dog along a path by the water. Tall trees and bushes line the path, with a dark, wavy river in the background. The lines are loose and scratchy, giving everything a sketchy, unfinished feel. The artist used a technique called drypoint to create the texture—you can see the tiny marks where the needle dug into the metal plate. This made the lines look rough and expressive. Next, look up etching to see how artists like this made prints with acid and metal.
