Finishing Shells
1916
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1916
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
You see a man bending over a table, carefully arranging seashells. The shells glow white against dark paper. His hands work under a single light source. This is a lithograph. That means the artist drew on stone with greasy ink. Then ink stuck only where he drew. It’s why the lines feel so sharp. Want to see how it’s done? Look up lithography.
