Jael and Sisera
1588
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1588
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Jael and Sisera is a 1588 ink by Jacob Matham, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This print shows a woman with wings holding a hammer, standing over a sleeping man on the ground. Behind her, a landscape with trees and a distant town stretches out. The woman’s flowing robes and the detailed clouds above her are drawn with precise lines. The sleeping man is covered with a tent-like cloth, and the scene looks like a moment from a story. The artist used fine lines and shading to create depth and texture. Next, look up engraving to see how artists like this one used metal plates to make prints.
