En maler siddende i det fri med sit staffeli 1824 - 1828

Constantin Hansen made this drawing, "En maler siddende i det fri med sit staffeli," with graphite on paper. Here, the artist is working 'en plein air,' or outdoors, a practice that became increasingly popular in the 19th century with the advent of portable art supplies. The graphite pencil itself is an interesting object – a mix of graphite powder and clay, encased in wood. While seemingly simple, it represents a shift towards mass production and accessibility in art materials. Graphite allowed artists to capture fleeting moments and observe the natural world directly. We see Hansen using it to quickly sketch this artist, seated at his easel, focused on his own work. The drawing's lines are delicate, almost tentative, reflecting the immediate nature of the medium. It’s not just a picture of an artist, but a document of a particular time and place. The very act of drawing is foregrounded, reminding us of the labor involved in creating art and the value of observation.