Angel Standing

Rembrandt

1638

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque Baroque

About this work

This sketch shows a lone figure with wings—an angel—standing sideways. The drawing is loose and quick, with ink lines that overlap in places to show folds in the robe. The angel’s head is turned slightly, and one hand rests near the chest. The paper looks old, with a yellowish tint and faint spots. The artist used pen and ink, layering lines to create shadow and depth without color. Next, check out cross-hatching to see how artists build shadows with lines.