Head of a Bearded Man

A pen and wash study shows an older man's head and shoulders turned three-quarters to the left, his gaze lifted past the viewer. Long, wavy hair falls behind his ears and a full beard spreads in layered, rippling strands over his chest. Fine hatching and gray-brown wash model the face, with pale highlights on the hair.

Look closer: Pale white gouache highlights catch the crests of the hair and beard strands.

Artist

Anonymous, Bohemian, 14th century

Date

1360–80

Medium

Pen and gray-brown ink, brush and gray-black and brown wash, traces of white gouache highlights

Source

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Size

2481 × 3364 px

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Purchase, Gift of Dr. Mortimer D. Sackler, Theresa Sackler and Family, 2003