Old Man Shading his Eyes with His Hand
1639
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
This sketch shows an old man sitting with his back to us, one hand raised to shield his eyes. His other arm rests on his knee, and his head tilts slightly forward. The lines are loose and quick, capturing the wrinkles in his skin and the folds of his clothing. The artist focused on light and shadow to show texture—notice how the hand shading his eyes stands out against the darker background. This effect makes the face look three-dimensional. Check out chiaroscuro for how artists use light and dark like this.
