Les divers pourtraicts et figures XI
1600
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This image shows four muscular men in dramatic poses, each holding different objects—a shell, a harp, a scroll, and a staff. They’re framed by arched columns and draped with swirling fabric that looks almost like feathers or wings. The background is dark, making their bodies stand out in sharp, detailed lines. The artist used tiny parallel lines to build up shadows and texture, a method called cross-hatching. It’s how they made the muscles and fabric look so real. Look up cross-hatching to see how artists create depth with just lines.
