Borstbeeld van een jonge Russische vrouw 1758 - 1764

Jean-Baptiste Leprince made this portrait of a young Russian woman with pen and brown ink, and brush in grey wash. Here, the artist is working in a relatively unmediated way. The marks of the pen are clearly visible, and the washes of grey give a tonal depth to the drawing. It is immediate and has a sense of his hand. When Leprince made this drawing, it was a time when European artists became interested in depicting different cultural groups, but his informal process makes it appear as more authentic than other more idealized and stylized depictions. The ease of the materials – pen, ink, and paper – allow for the nimble capture of likeness. Ultimately, the drawing reminds us that every work of art is the result of a specific set of material choices. And the way the artist used the materials informs our understanding of the subject. This challenges any firm distinction between fine art and other forms of creative practice.