Octavio van Veen

About this work

This is a black-and-white portrait of a man with a long white beard and mustache. His hair is short and curly, and he’s wearing a dark, high-collared robe. One hand rests on his chest, while the other holds a folded piece of paper. The lines in the print are tight and detailed, especially around his face and hands. The name "Octavio van Veen" is written at the bottom, but this is actually an engraving, not a painting. The artist used cross-hatching—tiny parallel lines—to create shadows and texture. Look up cross-hatching to see how artists build depth with just lines.