This is a graphite copy of Gabriel Metsu’s 1663 painting, “Woman Playing the Viola da Gamba.”

I saw this piece at the Legion of Honor Art Museum in San Francisco and was drawn to the shiny silk dress of the woman and the intricate details in the piece. While at the museum, I drew a sketch of the painting that I then took back to the studio, where I finished “coloring” it in with graphite.

It was particularly challenging to get the texture of the silk without the use of colors. However, in drawing this I gained a new appreciation for painters like Metsu, as even the darkness of the background conceals countless little details.

Dimensions (H x W): 11” x 9”