Portrait of a Clergyman
1850
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1850
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This black-and-white print shows a bearded man in a robe, holding an open book with his left hand while his right hand rests on it. His face is serious, with deep lines and a full beard. The background is plain, keeping all focus on his hands and the book’s text. The artist used tiny parallel lines to build up shadows and texture, especially in the beard and robe. It’s a technique called cross-hatching. Check out how cross-hatching works to create depth in prints.
