Desiderius Erasmus

About this work

This is a black-and-white portrait of a man with long hair and a beard. He’s wearing a dark hat and a fur collar around his neck. His hands are clasped together in front of him, and he’s looking off to the side with a serious expression. The artist used fine lines to create shadows and texture, especially in the fur and hair. This kind of detail is typical of engravings, where the artist etches lines into a metal plate. Next, look up engraving to see how artists like this made prints before photography.