L'Addition 

Jean-Louis Forain created this drawing, "L'Addition," using graphite on paper. Graphite, in its essence, is pure carbon, formed under intense pressure. It is a humble material, one we know best from pencils, yet it is capable of great expressiveness. Here, the artist uses that capacity to its fullest, building up dense areas of tone with hatching and cross-hatching. Look at the way Forain wields the graphite stick, moving from the broad strokes defining the figures to the finer lines suggesting details of their interaction. The roughness of the marks emphasizes the immediacy of the scene, and the lack of detail conveys a sense of anonymity. The subject matter too, hints at the labor involved in the production of art. By showing us the figures in the working class, counting the cost of their meal, Forain subtly reminds us that the making of art, no matter how spontaneous it may appear, is also a form of labor. This kind of drawing elevates a common material into a powerful tool for social commentary, blurring the lines between craft and fine art.