Boerderij in het land 1773 - 1843

Georges Michel made this drawing of a farm in the countryside using graphite on paper. Looking closely, you’ll see that the graphite is applied with varied pressure and density, creating depth and texture in the landscape. Michel's choice of graphite is interesting. While paint was the typical medium for landscape art at the time, graphite was more commonly associated with preliminary sketches or technical drawings. Its accessibility and ease of use lent itself to democratic, everyday practices, not necessarily the realm of high art. The marks on the paper are visible as a kind of gesture, the artist using hatching and cross-hatching to create a sense of volume and light. By choosing this humble material and technique, Michel blurred the lines between fine art and craft, elevating the status of drawing and suggesting the artistic potential in everyday materials and techniques. Ultimately, the drawing makes us consider the labor involved in both representing and living off the land.