Kirche im Walde (Serpentara) 10 - 1830

August Lucas made this drawing, Kirche im Walde (Serpentara), with graphite on paper. It’s a study, really, a quick impression of a church nestled in a rocky, wooded landscape. What interests me is the way that even a humble medium like graphite can deliver so much information. Look at the different ways that Lucas has used the pencil, hatching to create shadow, and quickly scribbling to suggest foliage. The very lightness of the medium gives a sense of fleeting time, a quickly captured impression. Drawings like this are fascinating because they show us the artist’s thinking, the translation of a complex three-dimensional reality into a set of marks. They are the foundation of any artistic endeavour. A direct, unfiltered expression of an artist's perception and skill. It challenges the traditional hierarchy between preparatory sketches and finished artworks, inviting us to appreciate the artistry inherent in the making process itself.