Oriental with a Soft Hat in Profile, Looking Left
1775
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1775
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This drawing shows a person’s face in profile, looking left, with a soft hat pulled low. Their hair and beard are drawn in tight, swirling lines, giving the image a textured, almost tangled look. The background is filled with more of those quick, crisscrossed strokes, making it feel busy and alive. The artist used a technique that lets ink pile up in layers, creating depth just with lines. This was a way to make simple black-and-white images feel rich and detailed. Next, check out etching to see how artists like this one built up texture with ink and metal plates.
