Artwork
Right Hand Holding Short Rod
Right Hand Holding Short Rod is an ink drawing by the Romanticist artist Horatio Greenough. It dates from 1847 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Right Hand Holding Short Rod is a drawing created by Horatio Greenough in 1847. Executed in pen and brown ink over graphite on wove paper, it depicts a detailed study of a hand grasping a short rod.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing shows a hand holding a straight rod, with fingers wrapped around it and thumb applying pressure from the side. The relaxed yet precise pose suggests a study for a larger work, potentially a sculpture.
Technique & Style
Tight, crisscrossed lines are used to shade the hand and rod, creating a three-dimensional effect through cross-hatching. This technique builds shadows and form using layered lines.
History & Provenance
The drawing is dated 'Florence Dec. 47', indicating it was created while Greenough was traveling in Florence in December 1847.
Artist & collection
Artist
Horatio Greenough (September 6, 1805 – December 18, 1852) was an American sculptor best known for his United States government commissions The Rescue (1837–1850) and George Washington (1840).
![Study of a Right Hand [recto], by Benjamin Haydon](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/benjamin-haydon--study-of-a-right-hand-recto--88b544f65d3eb1a7-w320.webp)
