The Marriage of Alexander and Roxana
1798
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
Artist
Conrad Martin Metz
Conrad Martin Metz (1749–1827) was a German artist, born in Bonn.
See the richer artist page1798
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Marriage of Alexander and Roxana is a 1798 ink by Conrad Martin Metz, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This drawing shows a crowd of people gathered around a seated woman and a standing man. The woman sits on a throne-like chair, holding a baby, while the man stands beside her, holding a staff. Around them, children play and adults stand in a loose circle, some holding objects like a crown or musical instruments. The scene looks busy but orderly, with soft, warm brown tones. Notice how the artist used fine lines to show movement and emotion, especially in the faces and gestures. The technique here is called *aquatint*, which lets them create smooth shading. Check out how *etching* works to see how artists like this made detailed prints.
Conrad Martin Metz (1749–1827) was a German artist, born in Bonn.
See the richer artist page
