Studies of Eleven Heads
1774
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1774
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Studies of Eleven Heads is a 1774 ink by Bartholomäus Ignaz Weiss, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows eleven faces pressed close together, all drawn in quick, scratchy lines. Some look calm, others angry or surprised, their expressions sharp and full of energy. The paper has a textured, aged look, and the lines vary from light shading to deep, dark marks. The artist used a technique called drypoint to add fine, webby details around the faces. This made the hair and edges look almost fuzzy. Next, check out etching to see how artists like Weiss created these rich textures.
Bartholomäus Ignaz Weiss (1730–1814) was an artist, born in Munich.
See the richer artist page
