Marie Therese of Spain, Dauphine of France
1720
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1720
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This is a black-and-white portrait of a woman in a long, fancy dress with lots of swirls and patterns. She stands near a window, holding a piece of fabric in her hand. Behind her, there’s a view of a building with columns and a garden, plus a crown on a pedestal to her right. The artist used a technique called etching to create the detailed lines and shading. This kind of printmaking lets them carve fine details into metal plates. Next, look up etching to see how artists make these precise, textured images.
