The Virgin and Child

About this work

This drawing shows a woman holding a small child. They’re sitting on a rocky ledge, surrounded by rough, jagged lines that look like fabric or maybe a cave wall. The woman’s robe drapes in heavy folds, and the child clutches her finger. Both faces are calm, with soft curves and gentle eyes. The artist used tiny parallel lines to build up shadows and texture—this is called *cross-hatching*. It makes the folds of the cloth and the rock look almost three-dimensional. Next, check out technique: engraving to see how artists like this carved images into metal.