Sketch for a Baptism of Christ

Jacopo Palma il Giovane

1588

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Religious

About this work

This sketch shows three figures in a rough, quick style. One person is bending over, holding a cloth with a bowl on it. Another stands upright, reaching toward the first. A third figure lies curled up on the ground. The lines are loose and the shading is simple, almost like a quick study. The artist used ink and wash to keep it simple, focusing on shapes and movement. This looks like a practice drawing for a bigger work. Look up cross-hatching next to see how artists build up shading with lines.