Drapery, Three Figures, a Bacchante and Two From Nature
1829
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From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1829
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This sketch shows four figures tangled in flowing cloth. The top two look like people struggling under heavy fabric, while the bottom two stand calmly in draped robes. The lines are loose and quick, almost like a hurried note. The top figures are labeled as showing how wind affects cloth, while the bottom ones are called "from nature." The artist was playing with how real fabric moves versus how it’s shown in art. Next, check out lithography to see how this sketch was made.
