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Portrait of a Man in Toga

Unknown 19th Century

1850

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism Early 19th Century Portrait

Dominant colour

Portrait of a Man in Toga is a 1850 ink by Unknown 19th Century, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Unknown 19th Century
When & what style?: 1850 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This is a black-and-white engraving of a man’s head and shoulders. He has short hair, a mustache, and a beard. His collar is high, and the fabric looks textured, like it’s made of layers. The background is a plain circle, so the focus stays on his face. The lines are made with tiny, repeated strokes—this is called cross-hatching. It gives the fabric and skin a rough, detailed look. The style fits a time when artists used shadows and emotion over smooth details. Look up cross-hatching to see how artists build shadows with just lines.