Annotatie op een ingeplakte prent c. 1839 - 1872

Johannes Tavenraat made this drawing, "Annotatie op een ingeplakte prent," around 1839, using graphite on paper. It's a fairly traditional material, though the paper is quite thin, and this gives the drawing a delicate quality, almost like a fleeting thought captured on the page. You can see Tavenraat's process in the varying line weights and densities of shading. He builds up the image gradually, using short, hatched strokes to create depth and volume. The pressure of the graphite on the page creates different tonal values, giving the image its texture and form. It looks like Tavenraat was trained in the academic tradition, since he uses cross-hatching techniques to create a sense of three-dimensionality. There's a looseness to the drawing that suggests it was made quickly, perhaps as a preliminary sketch for a larger work. But the very act of committing it to paper gives it a presence that transcends its humble origins. It shows how even the simplest of materials, when wielded with skill and intention, can yield an image with significant artistic value.