1520
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Charity is a 1520 ink by Marcantonio Raimondi, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This engraving shows a woman holding two small children. She’s dressed in flowing robes, one arm around one child while the other child clings to her leg. The scene looks like a quiet moment, with soft folds in the fabric and careful attention to the bodies’ shapes. The artist used fine lines to create depth, especially in the drapery and muscles. This kind of detailed linework is typical of the time—no paint here, just ink pressed into metal. Next, look up engraving to see how this technique works.
Marcantonio Raimondi, often called simply Marcantonio (c. 1470/82 – c. 1534), was an Italian engraver, known for being the first important printmaker whose body of work consists largely of prints copying paintings. He…
See the richer artist page
