Reading of the Office of the Day (La lecture de l'office)
1868
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1868
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This sketch shows a bald man in a dark robe, leaning over a book with his hands clasped in prayer. The page he reads is open, and the lines of text are clear. Behind him, a window with a cross-shaped lattice lets in faint light, while the rest of the room stays shadowy. The artist used quick, scratchy lines to show the folds of his robe and the texture of the book. The dark and light areas make the figure stand out sharply. Try looking up chiaroscuro next to see how this lighting trick works.
