Zeilboten op het water c. 1841 - 1865

Petrus Johannes Schotel sketched Zeilboten op het water using graphite on paper sometime in the mid-19th century. It is a quick study of sailboats on water. The choice of graphite is interesting here. It is a relatively inexpensive material, readily available, and easy to erase. The lightness of the graphite allows for a subtlety of tone and a sense of atmospheric perspective. In this drawing, the graphite lines create a sense of movement and energy. It is easy to see the speed of the artist's hand as it moved across the page, capturing the essence of the boats and the water. As a preliminary sketch, the drawing provides insight into the artist’s process and allows us to appreciate the labor involved in creating a finished work of art. It challenges the traditional distinction between fine art and craft, highlighting the importance of materials, making, and context in understanding the full meaning of an artwork.