Holy Family

Italian 17th Century

1601

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque Baroque Religious

About this work

This drawing shows a crowded scene with three figures—likely a man, woman, and child—surrounded by swirling lines and shadows. The lines overlap in tight, tangled patterns, creating dark and light patches. The figures’ faces and hands are simple but expressive, with quick, sketchy strokes. The artist used lots of cross-hatching, layering lines to build up shadows and texture. This technique makes the scene feel busy and dramatic. Next, look up cross-hatching to see how artists use lines to create depth.