Man and Woman under a Tree
1890
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1890
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This sketch shows two people sitting close together under a big tree. The man has a long beard and rests his arm around the woman’s shoulders. Both look down, wrapped in loose clothes that show their bodies moving naturally. The background has rough trees and bushes, drawn with quick, scratchy lines. The artist used a technique that leaves fine, webby marks—like spider legs—around the edges of shapes. This was done by scraping metal instead of just inking it. Look up etching to see how artists like this made detailed prints with sharp tools.
