Der Hund des Mondes, auf den Hinterbeinen stehend, nach links c. 1867 - 1868

Paul Konewka made this simple line drawing of a dog in the 19th century, using pencil on paper. It's a humble work, a sketch rather than a finished piece, and this very humility gives it a special charm. Pencil, of course, is a combination of graphite and clay, and was a relatively new material in Konewka’s time, made possible by industrial processes of extraction and refinement. This made it an ideal medium for quick notation, whether for artists like Konewka, or clerks in an office. Note the apparent speed with which the image was captured, reflecting a growing premium on efficiency and immediacy. The drawing has an unpretentious quality, and yet it's also quite skilled. The artist captures the dog's posture and fluffiness with just a few lines, while the watermark-like staining and thinness of the paper all speak to the history of the piece. The artist probably wasn't trying to create a masterpiece here, just a quick and accurate observation. This reminds us that even the most seemingly insignificant artworks can tell us something about the culture in which they were made, and how new materials and a fast-moving society are shaping the way we create.