Woman in Court Dress
1860
graphite
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1860
graphite
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This sketch shows a woman in a loose, flowing dress with one shoulder bare. Her hair is pulled back, and she holds a fan in one hand while resting her other arm on a chair. The lines are soft and smudged, giving it a quick, sketchy feel. The artist used shading to show depth, especially in her face and dress. This style was common in the Romantic period, where feeling mattered more than perfect details. Look up chiaroscuro to see how shading creates drama in art.
