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How do smooth curved lines create an elegant effect in a drawing?

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Watercolor painting by Berthe Morisot showing Edma seated on a sofa in a floral dress with her young daughter Jeanne beside her, both facing slightly right. — Drawing *The Artist's Sister, Edma, with Her Daughter, Jeanne*, watercolor over graphite on paper by Berthe Morisot, 1872; in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

In drawing, smooth curved lines create an elegant effect by prioritizing graphic regularity and flowing, rounded forms over the representation of specific content. While forceful, straight strokes often convey dramatic or austere moods, soft and sinuous lines are considered the formal equivalent of courtly, lyric, and elegant qualities.1

These lines are characterized by their rhythmic, non-geometric movement, which emphasizes harmony and grace. Historically, this aesthetic has been a hallmark of various artistic movements, including the Renaissance (particularly in the work of Raphael), the Jugendstil, and the precise, classicist style of Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres. By stressing the flow of the line itself, artists can achieve a sense of unity and refinement that distinguishes their work from more angular or expressive styles.12