1604
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Portrait of a Middle-Aged Man is a 1604 ink by Ottavio Leoni, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This is a black-and-white drawing of a man with a full beard and mustache. His hair is short and slightly wavy, and he’s wearing a high-collared shirt with lace details at the neckline. The lines are rough and textured, giving the image a hand-drawn feel. The artist used a technique called etching, where lines are carved into a metal plate before inking. This creates a grainy, almost sketchy look that makes the portrait feel alive. Next, check out etching to see how artists like this one made prints.
Ottavio Leoni (1578 – 4 September 1630) was an Italian painter and printmaker of the early-Baroque, active mainly in Rome.
See the richer artist page
