Open full image Pin

Virtues Crowning the Bust of Canova

Michele Sangiorgi

1812

graphite

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism Early 19th Century

Dominant colour

Virtues Crowning the Bust of Canova is a 1812 graphite by Michele Sangiorgi, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Michele Sangiorgi
When & what style?: 1812 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This drawing shows a group of figures in a classical setting. On the right, three robed women stand near a winged man holding a wreath. Behind them is a temple with columns and a tree. To the left, an older man in a toga points at a bust on a pedestal. On the ground, scattered tools and a kneeling boy add to the scene. The winged man is likely a symbol of victory or triumph, crowning the bust with the wreath. The artist used ink and washes to create shadows and textures, giving the drawing depth. Next, look up cross-hatching to see how artists build shading with lines.