The Lamentation
1624
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
Artist
Spanish 17th Century
This artist worked in Spain in the early 1600s, making delicate pen and ink drawings.
See the richer artist page1624
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Lamentation is a 1624 ink by Spanish 17th Century, a Baroque work, depicting Lamentation of Christ, held at National Gallery of Art.
This etching shows a group of people around a dead man on the ground. Mary holds his limp hand while others kneel or stand in grief. The light fades behind them, leaving faces half in shadow. It’s done with two techniques at once: etching carves lines into metal, then drypoint scrapes rough edges for darker marks. The paper feels thin under your fingers, dampened to soak up ink. The rough lines make the sorrow feel raw. If you like this, try the etching technique used in Francisco de Zurbarán’s prints.
This artist worked in Spain in the early 1600s, making delicate pen and ink drawings.
See the richer artist page
