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Caricature with Mola Protecting Himself from a Man Holding a Viper

Pier Francesco Mola

1639

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque Baroque

Dominant colour

Caricature with Mola Protecting Himself from a Man Holding a Viper is a 1639 ink by Pier Francesco Mola, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Pier Francesco Mola
When & what style?: 1639 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows two men in a tense moment. One man, wearing a hat, clutches a coiled snake. The other man, with curly hair, holds his face like he’s protecting himself. The lines are loose and quick, almost like a sketch made fast. The artist used ink to build up shadows with crisscrossed lines—this is called *cross-hatching*. It gives the drawing texture and depth without color. Next, look up *cross-hatching* to see how artists use it.