Study for "Frieze of Prophets"

John Singer Sargent

1891

charcoal

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century

About this work

This drawing shows draped fabric wrapped around a hidden shape. The folds look heavy and real, thanks to chalk and charcoal on gray paper. Light hits the fabric in just the right spots to make it pop off the page. Sargent used the rough paper to build texture. He layered chalk until the fabric felt soft enough to touch. Tiny shifts in shading make the folds look like they’re moving. If you like how he handles cloth, look up Sargent, John Singer.