Leon Gambetta, 2nd plate

About this work

This is a black-and-white portrait of a man with a full beard and curly hair. He’s wearing a high collar that frames his face tightly. The lines around his eyes and mouth are carefully drawn, giving him a serious look. The artist used fine, precise lines to show texture—like the folds in his collar and the stubble on his face. This kind of drawing is done with etching, where the artist scratches into a metal plate. Next, check out etching to see how artists create these detailed prints.