Leibl's Mother
1874
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1874
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Leibl's Mother is a 1874 ink by Wilhelm Leibl, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white etching shows a woman’s face in profile, wrapped in a dark shawl. Her hands rest in her lap, fingers slightly apart. The edges of the paper are rough, and the shading is soft, almost blurry in spots. The artist focused on simple textures—her hair, the folds of her clothing, and the grainy paper. This style was meant to feel real, not polished. Next, check out etching to see how artists like Leibl used ink and metal plates to create these detailed prints.
