St. Magdalena 

Albrecht Dürer created this drawing of St. Magdalena with delicate strokes of graphite, likely around 1523. The composition immediately draws our eye upwards, guided by Magdalena's gaze and the vertical emphasis of the wooden post, all rendered in subtle shades of gray. There's a certain tension between the softness of her draped clothing and the harsh reality suggested by the rugged timber. Dürer masterfully employs the technique of hatching and cross-hatching, building up tone and texture to create a sense of form and depth. Note how the simple lines articulate complex emotions through her posture and facial expression. One can read into this an interplay between human vulnerability and the solidity of faith. The deliberate lack of background puts all focus on Magdalena's figure. Dürer invites us to reconsider how such traditional subjects can be represented through the formal qualities of line and composition.