William Blake
1808
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1808
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This is a black-and-white portrait of a man with curly hair, a high forehead, and a serious expression. He’s wearing a dark coat over a white shirt, and his hands are tucked inside his sleeves. The background is plain, but the lines around his face and hair are textured, almost like a sketch. The name “William Blake” is signed at the bottom, but this isn’t a painting—it’s an etching. That means the artist used acid to carve the design into metal, then inked it for a printed effect. Next, look up etching to see how artists like this made detailed prints.
