Study for "Pêcheurs de la mer du Nord" (Study for "Fishermen of the North Sea")
1893
graphite
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1893
graphite
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This sketch shows a person standing sideways, hands raised to adjust a hat or scarf. The lines are loose but confident, with quick strokes that catch the shape of the body and clothes. The paper has a grid drawn in faint blue pencil, likely to help the artist get proportions right. The artist used a mix of charcoal and colored pencil, blending some areas for shadow while leaving others sharp. The grid suggests this was a practice drawing, maybe for a bigger painting about fishermen. If you like this style, check out cross-hatching to see how artists build up texture with lines.
