Grazing cow to the right 

Friedrich Wilhelm Hirt made this drawing of a cow using a reddish-brown chalk on paper. Chalk is an interesting material. Think about the origin of chalk; it comes from the earth, a direct residue of geological processes. With simple tools, chalk can be ground into a fine powder and compressed into sticks. The artist then takes this humble material and, with simple, confident strokes, evokes the form of a grazing cow. Look closely, and you'll see the texture of the chalk lends a softness to the image. The drawing captures the cow's weight, its posture, and the quiet labor of feeding. Hirt's choice of medium, with its inherent earthiness, mirrors the animal's own connection to the land. In this way, the drawing acts as a direct transcription of observation into art. By valuing the connection between materials, process, and subject, we recognize that even a simple drawing opens up a world of meaning.