Nude Man Seated before a Curtain
1646
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This sketch shows a bare-chested man sitting on a low stool, his legs crossed and hands resting on his knees. His hair is wild, and he looks down with a serious expression. Behind him, a heavy curtain fills the background, drawn in quick, crisscrossed lines. The artist used a rough, scratchy style to show light and shadow on the skin and fabric. The signature in the corner reads "Rembrandt f. 1646," hinting at the creator’s hand. Next, look up *etching* to see how artists like Rembrandt made prints this way.
