Philosopher Seated, with Globe, Book, and Compass
1733
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1733
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This image shows an old philosopher sitting at a wooden table. He holds an open book in one hand and a compass in the other. A large globe sits on the table beside him. The etching captures fine details—notice the crinkled pages of the book and the soft shadows on the philosopher’s face. The light falls just right on his tools, making them look real. This kind of printmaking, where lines are scratched into metal, is called etching. Look up the same artist. Try Tiepolo, Giovanni Battista.
