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Study of a Hand [recto]

Benjamin Haydon

1816

charcoal

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism Early 19th Century

Dominant colour

Study of a Hand [recto] is a 1816 charcoal by Benjamin Haydon, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Benjamin Haydon
When & what style?: 1816 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a hand in charcoal, resting on a rough, textured paper. The fingers are slightly curled, and the thumb points down. The shading is soft, with smudges that make the hand look almost three-dimensional. The artist used loose, quick strokes to suggest light and shadow. The paper’s brown color peeks through in places, giving it a raw, unfinished feel. Want to see more work like this? Check out Romanticism.