The Women at the Sepulchre with Christ of the Noli me Tangere

Ercole il Giovane Procaccini

1654

gouache

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque Baroque Religious

About this work

This sketch shows two women in flowing robes, kneeling beside a draped figure on the ground. Their faces are blurred, but their gestures look urgent—one reaches out, the other leans in. The background is mostly empty, with just a hint of a rocky surface. The artist used red chalk and white paint to create soft, shadowy shapes. The colors are muted, like faded earth tones, giving it a quiet, almost ghostly feel. Next, check out the technique: gouache to see how artists use it to add lightness to their work.