Studieblad met schapen 1824 - 1859

Pieter Jan Guise made this study sheet of sheep, using pen in brown ink, sometime in the first half of the 19th century. The sepia ink allows the artist to capture the sheep's wooly texture and soft forms through delicate cross-hatching. Notice how the varying pressure of the pen creates depth and shadow, giving a sense of the animal's weight and volume. Sheep were an important part of the Dutch rural economy. The intense study and depiction of these animals reflects an intimate relationship with the natural world. Although Guise was trained as a painter, this drawing also reflects a world where the careful observation of everyday life was valued, reflecting a democratization of artistic practice that emerged during this period. By focusing on the skilled application of pen and ink, we can see the value of these materials and processes, and better appreciate the ways in which they were used to represent the world around us.