The Holy Family
1738
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
About the artist
1738
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Dominant colour
The Holy Family is a 1738 by Benjamin West, a Baroque work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This sketch shows a family of three huddled together in a rocky, uneven space. The figures are drawn in soft, smudged lines, with light tones standing out against a dark background. One person holds a child, while the other looks toward them, their faces simple but full of quiet attention. The rough, textured look comes from a technique where tiny dots and lines build up shadow and light. It’s almost like the artist scratched or dabbed the surface to create depth. Next, check out cross-hatching to see how artists use layers of lines to make shapes pop.
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