Mary Sidney, Countess of Pembroke
1789
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1789
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Mary Sidney, Countess of Pembroke is a 1789 ink by Burnet Reading, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This is a black-and-white portrait of a woman with a big, curly wig and a serious expression. She’s wearing a fancy lace collar and heavy jewelry—a pearl necklace and earrings. Her hands hold a small book or fan, and her sleeves are decorated with intricate patterns. The artist used fine lines to show texture, like the lace and the curls in her hair. This kind of detailed linework is called *cross-hatching*. Next, look up cross-hatching to see how artists create depth with just lines.
