A Nude Female Figure Fleeing to the Right with Arms Outstretched, with Sketch of a Bust of Secondary Figure (recto); A Sketch of a Nude, Kneeling Female Figure, Supported by Another Standing (verso) c. 1600

This drawing, held at the Art Institute of Chicago, was made by Hendrick Goltzius around the turn of the 17th century, with red and black chalk on paper. What’s fascinating here is the directness of the artist's hand, and the implied labor involved in creating such a dynamic image. Goltzius coaxes depth and volume out of simple materials, layering red and black chalk to build form, and implying movement with every stroke. The figure is not just represented; she seems to emerge from the very substance of the paper itself. Drawings like this remind us that artmaking is a form of work – skilled, physical, and demanding. In Goltzius’s era, the mastery of drawing was central to an artist’s identity and professional advancement. So, even a sketch like this one speaks volumes about the cultural value placed on artistic labor. It challenges our modern separation of ‘fine art’ from other skilled trades.