The Miracle of the Loaves and the Fishes

Léonard Gaultier

National Gallery of Art

This is a drawing of a biblical scene with a large group of people and some figures in the foreground exchanging food items. The drawing depicts an extensive crowd of people seated on the ground, stretching into the distance. In the foreground, a smaller group of central figures is engaged in the act of sharing or distributing loaves of bread, with one figure receiving an item from another. Several baskets filled with goods are visible in the scene. The background presents a landscape of rolling hills and what appears to be a path winding its way through them, and some trees under a cloudy sky. The style of attire and the depiction of the scene suggest a historic or religious narrative. The use of shading and line work adds depth and texture to the drawing.