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This is a drawing of a braided motif with decorative elements. The artwork features a loose braid intertwined with an ornamental tassel or knot design. The drawing is rendered in soft graphite, with touches of yellow and hints of pink for shading. The lines are fluid and sketchy, capturing the curves and movement of the braid, and the decorative segment adds a textural contrast with its pattern of dots and crosshatching. The composition focuses on the interplay between curves and textures.
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This is a drawing of a braided motif with decorative elements. The artwork features a loose braid intertwined with an ornamental tassel or knot design. The drawing is rendered in soft graphite, with touches of yellow and hints of pink for shading. The lines are fluid and sketchy, capturing the curves and movement of the braid, and the decorative segment adds a textural contrast with its pattern of dots and crosshatching. The composition focuses on the interplay between curves and textures.

National Gallery of Art · Drawing

A Tassel

Sir David Wilkie

Medium
black, red, and yellow chalks heightened with white on wove paper
Dimensions
overall: 23.9 x 14.3 cm (9 7/16 x 5 5/8 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Accession number
1995.52.207
Credit line
Gift of William B. O'Neal
Time span
1776 to 1800
Department
CG-E
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • object
  • Scottish
  • Tassel
Provenance

Mrs. N.C. Butler; (Thos. Agnew & Sons Ltd., London); purchased by William B. O'Neal, Charlottesville, VA, 1967-1994; gift to NGA, 1995. Mrs. N.C. Butler was a descendant of a friend of the artist's (according to O'Neal records).

NGA object ID 76197. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.