Portrait of a Man and His Son
1615
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1615
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Portrait of a Man and His Son is a 1615 ink by Peter Isselburg, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white engraving shows a bearded man in a ruff collar and patterned doublet, standing beside a younger boy in a fur-lined coat. The man’s hand rests on the boy’s shoulder, while the boy holds a small object in his other hand. Behind them, a curtain frames the scene, and a coat of arms sits in the top-right corner. The artist used fine lines and shading to create depth, focusing on the textures of the fabrics and faces. This kind of detail was common in portrait engravings of the time. Next, look up engraving to see how artists built shadows and shapes with just a burin.
