Image:Holbein portrait.png

• Ambrosius and Hans Holbein
• 1511
• Silverpoint on white-coated paper, 10.3 x 15.5 cm
• Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen, Berlin

Metal Point

In medieval times, metal point was used as the primary permanent mark-making tool for both artists and scribes. Progenitor of the modern pencil, metal point was championed over the stylus for its ability to render precise compositions on paper, parchment or just about any other prepared support. Normally, creating a chalk like substance from baked chicken bones ground into dust and then mixed with water would prepare the support for drawing and writing. Nowadays, modern artists use a chalk based gauche or clay board that can be easily purchased through art stores around the world.

The most common metals that were used for transcribing marks were lead, silver, copper, gold, and silver. Silver point was the most common choice because it is the most suited to permanent drawing, its stroke adhering with permanence. Although each mark is enduring, it is interesting to note that as time passes the different metals, (especially gold, silver and copper) begin to tarnish and oxidize making the mark become richer over the years.

Other notable artists that have used metal point successfully in their practice are Leonardo da Vinci, Jan van Eyck and Hubert van Eyck, and Albrecht Dürer.

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• Ambrosius Holbein