Skull in profile to right (1645, Met-Objekt 5471)
Original title: Skull in profile to right
kurzbeschreibung
Unlike the usual vanitas skulls of his day, Wenceslaus Hollar's 1645 etching presents a human head in profile facing right, set on a low, flat plinth. It is worked in fine hatching, monochrome, against a restrained ground of horizontal stripes.
Description
The skull sits in side profile, tipped slightly to the right. Bone structure of face and cranium is carefully worked out. Volume and shadow come mainly from hatching. A plain, horizontally banded area behind draws the eye to the head. At upper left a handwritten note gives the name Leonardo da Vinci and the year 1645.
Context
Hollar made the etching in 1645, during the decade he spent working in Antwerp. The handwritten inscription attributing the sheet to Leonardo suggests he drew on a model from Leonardo's circle. Skull motifs as vanitas were widespread in the seventeenth century, serving as an aid to contemplating mortality.
Impact
The exact hatching gives the skull something of the character of a scientific study. The spare ground and clear arrangement produce a calm, collected mood. The sheet feels sober and factual, without dramatic heightening.
Technique
Hollar used etching; the print exists in a single state. Fine parallel lines and cross-hatching model the skull's volume. The dimensions are 7.8 × 9.2 centimetres, with narrow margins.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)