1645
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Shell (Murex brandaris) is a 1645 ink by Wenceslaus Hollar, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This is a black-and-white drawing of a seashell. It’s detailed, with sharp lines showing the shell’s bumpy texture and the two long, curved horns on top. The shell looks heavy and real, with tiny lines marking its ridges and creases. This is an etching, which means the artist scratched the design into a metal plate before printing it. The shell is a *Murex brandaris*, a type of sea snail. Next, look up etching to see how this technique works.
Wenceslaus Hollar (Czech: Václav Hollar (Czech pronunciation: ), German: Wenzel Hollar; 23 July 1607 – 25 March 1677) was a Czech engraver, etcher and painter.
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