The Descent from the Cross: a Sketch
1642
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This sketch shows a crowded scene of people around a central figure on a cross. The lines are scratchy and uneven, with lots of movement in the bodies and clothes. Some figures are kneeling, others are reaching up, and the whole scene feels tense and hurried. The artist used a technique called drypoint to add extra texture to the lines. This made the sketch look even more dramatic and rough. Look up etching, drypoint, aquatint to see how these methods create different effects in prints.
