A Stalk of Lilies with Six Blooms
1808
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1808
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
A Stalk of Lilies with Six Blooms is a 1808 ink by Philipp Otto Runge, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This drawing shows a single stalk of lily flowers with six buds. The petals are drawn with careful lines, some slightly curled at the edges. The stems and leaves are thin and detailed, with light shading to show texture. The artist used a mix of fine lines and tiny cross-hatching to build up shadows and depth. This was a quick study, not a finished painting—you can see where the ink smudged slightly. Next, check out cross-hatching to see how artists use layers of lines to create shading.
