Sibyl Seen from the Back, Looking Downward to the Left
1550
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
1550
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Sibyl Seen from the Back, Looking Downward to the Left is a 1550 ink by Lambert Suavius, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This is a black-and-white engraving of a woman seen from behind. She’s draped in flowing robes that fall in heavy folds, her hair pulled back neatly. One hand rests on her chest, while the other holds a scroll. The background is plain, letting her figure stand out sharply. Notice how the artist used tiny parallel lines to create shadows and depth—this is called cross-hatching. It’s a trick to make the cloth look real without color. Want to see more like this? Look up engraving.
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