Portrait of the Painter Sperl
1876
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From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1876
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This sketch shows a man with a wild mustache and messy hair. He’s holding a small object in one hand and a pipe in the other. His coat looks worn, and the lines are rough, almost scratchy. The artist used a technique that leaves lots of texture—like scratching into the paper. This kind of drawing was common in the late 1800s. Look up etching to see how artists create these detailed lines.
