1530
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Spes (Hope) is a 1530 ink by Lucas van Leyden, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This engraving shows a woman kneeling on a bench, reaching toward a window. She’s half-turned, her body tense, as if straining to see outside. Above her head, two small children peek out from behind the curtains, their faces lit by a faint glow from beyond the glass. The word *SPES*—Latin for "Hope"—is stamped in the corner. This piece uses sharp lines and heavy shading to create depth, a technique that makes the scene feel both intimate and dramatic. Next, check out how engraving works to see how artists like this built their images line by line.
Lucas van Leyden (1494 – 8 August 1533), was a Dutch painter and printmaker in engraving and woodcut. Lucas van Leyden was among the first Dutch exponents of genre painting and was a very accomplished engraver.
See the richer artist page
