1760
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Saint Charles Borromeo Distributing Communion to the Victims of the Plague of 1576 in Milan is a 1760 ink by Jean-Baptiste-Marie Pierre, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This etching shows a crowded scene where a priest kneels beside a sick person lying on the ground. Behind them, a rocky hillside rises, and in the distance, a small building with a pagoda-style roof sits on a terrace. The priest holds a cloth, and a standing figure nearby leans over a basket. Shadows and light create deep contrasts, making the figures look dramatic. The artist used fine lines to show the texture of clothes and skin, which makes the scene feel urgent. The background buildings and distant figures add depth, pulling your eye from the foreground drama to the quiet background. Look up etching to see how this technique creates such sharp details.
Jean-Baptiste-Marie Pierre (1735–1735) was an artist.
See the richer artist page
