History and Revival of Silverpoint - Silverpoint is a drawing technique using a silver rod or wire. - Metalpoint styli were used by scribes, craftsmen, and artists since ancient times. - Lead, tin, and silver were commonly used metals for drawing. - Silverpoint emerged as a fine line drawing technique in the late Gothic/early Renaissance era. - Artists who worked in silverpoint include Jan van Eyck, Leonardo da Vinci, and Albrecht Dürer. - Joseph Meder, Alphonse Legros, and Joseph Stella helped revitalize the silverpoint technique. - Stella explored silverpoint on zinc white gouache prepared grounds. - Xavier Martínez taught silverpoint at the California College of the Arts in the early 20th century. - The Norton Museum of Art curated an exhibition on silverpoint in 1985. - The National Gallery of Art and the British Museum exhibited silverpoint drawings in 2015.

Characteristics of Silverpoint - A traditional silverpoint stylus is made with a small rod of silver inserted into a wooden rod. - Silverpoint lines tarnish to a warm brown tone when exposed to air. - The oxidation of silverpoint lines becomes perceptible over several months. - Silverpoint was historically used on parchment and later on prepared supports. - Silverpoint has been used in a wide range of styles, from curvilinear precision to gestural sketches.

Techniques of Silverpoint - Silverpoint styli varied in composition from pure silver to heavily alloyed with copper. - Traditional grounds for silverpoint include rabbit skin glue solution pigmented with bone ash, chalk, and/or lead white. - Contemporary grounds for silverpoint include acrylic gesso, gouache, and commercially prepared claycoat papers. - The slight tooth of the ground preparation takes some of the silver as it is drawn across the surface. - Silverpoint has been adapted to modern styles, such as tonal portraits and abstract compositions.

Artists and Examples of Silverpoint Drawings - Albrecht Dürer's self-portrait at the age of 13 is considered a masterpiece in silverpoint. - Rembrandt made silverpoint drawings, including a portrait of his wife Saskia. - Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres turned to graphite but also used silverpoint in his drawings. - Thomas Wilmer Dewing created tonal silverpoint portraits in the late 19th century. - Paula Gerard combined silverpoint, goldpoint, and watercolor in her innovative artwork. - Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Carol Prusa, Susan Schwalb, Jeannine Cook, and Elizabeth Whiteley are contemporary artists using the silverpoint technique.

Further Reading and Additional Resources - References and further reading materials on silverpoint technique and history. - Examples of silverpoint drawings, including works by Pedro de Lemos. - Additional resources such as exhibition catalogues, books, and articles related to silverpoint. - Wikimedia Commons has media related to silverpoint drawings.