Large Pendant, Ornamental Foliage Design
1596
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1596
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This drawing shows a fancy chandelier with swirling leaves and flowers at its center. The design is black and white, with lots of tiny lines creating shadows and depth. Two small animals—maybe rabbits—sit at the bottom corners, and there are dangling egg-shaped lights hanging from the arms. The artist used a sharp tool to carve the lines into a metal plate, then inked it to make the print. This method is called *engraving*. Check out how the artist made shadows with tiny parallel lines called *cross-hatching*.
