Chevet de St. Martin-sur-Renelle (The Apsis of the Church of St. Martin-sur-Renelle)
1860
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1860
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This is a black-and-white drawing of a church’s back end, called the chevet. Tall, pointed windows line the walls, each filled with intricate stone tracery. The roof has steep angles and small, decorative carvings near the edges. The walls look rough, with blocks of stone stacked neatly. The artist used fine lines to show every detail, from the window shapes to the roof’s edges. This kind of careful drawing was common in the 1800s to record real buildings before they changed. Next, look up etching to see how artists like this made sharp, detailed prints.
