Eritrean Sibyl

About this work

This sketch shows a robed woman holding a scroll. Her hair is loose, and she looks down, one hand resting on her chest. The scroll has some writing on it, but it’s hard to read. The lines are quick and loose, like the artist was drawing fast. The paper looks old, with some brown stains. The artist used ink over faint chalk marks, which you can still see in places. This style was common in the 1600s. Next, check out technique: cross-hatching to see how artists built up shadows this way.