Ancienne habitation à Bourges, dite "La Maison du Musicien" (An Old House at Bourges, Sometimes Called the "Musician's House")
1860
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1860
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This sketch shows a narrow street lined with tall, half-timbered houses. One building leans under a giant wooden crane, its thatched roof sagging. A carriage sits outside a shop with big windows, and two people chat on the sidewalk. The lines are sharp, the paper has a green tint, and the whole scene feels busy yet quiet. The artist used a technique called drypoint to scratch fine lines into the plate. This lets you see both the deep grooves and the softer marks left by the needle’s edge. Look up drypoint to see how it creates this mix of textures.
