Meditation (La meditation)
1874
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1874
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This sketch shows two figures sitting close together, wrapped in heavy coats. The background is dark and full of tangled lines, like wind or static. One person’s face is turned away, while the other rests their head on their hand, looking down. The artist used a lot of scratching and layering to create the texture—almost like the lines are moving. This style was common in etchings and drypoint prints. Check out technique: drypoint to see how artists create this kind of scratchy effect.
