Octavian vor der verzweifelnden Kleopatra 

Gottlieb Welté rendered this scene of Octavian and Cleopatra using pen and brush, with grey wash and white heightening on laid paper. Welté deployed layered washes to articulate form and space. He likely began by lightly sketching the composition with a pen, establishing the figures and architectural setting. The artist then applied delicate grey washes to build volume and create tonal contrast, using a brush. Welté employed white heightening to intensify highlights on the figures’ drapery, armor, and faces, infusing the scene with drama and immediacy. The artist adeptly manipulated the absorbent nature of laid paper to produce a range of tonal effects. By controlling the saturation and blending of the washes, he evoked a sense of atmospheric depth and imbued the scene with a somber, almost ethereal quality. Welté’s skilled handling of these materials and techniques serves not only to depict a historical moment but also to elevate the medium of drawing to a form of art that requires mastery, skill and technique.