1624
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
William Tell Refusing to Honor Governor Gessler's Hat is a 1624 ink by Hans Kaspar Lang the Elder, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a tense scene in a wooded area. Three men stand near a small hut, each holding a long pole. One man kneels, clutching his hat, while another stands over him with a stern look. The third man watches from the side. Trees and rocky ground fill the background, and a poem in German is written at the top. The kneeling man’s hat is the focus—he refuses to touch it, suggesting a protest. The artist used quick lines and shading to show movement and emotion. Look up cross-hatching to see how artists like this one built shadows with lines.
Hans Kaspar Lang the Elder (1595–1595) was an artist.
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