Son and the Donkey c. 1859

Elihu Vedder’s “Son and the Donkey” is a pencil sketch from 1859. The composition shows a lone figure carrying a small child on his back while walking with a staff toward a group of figures in the distance. The group in the distance is obscured by darkness, but their bodies are outlined as they seem to watch the traveler. Vedder’s use of hatching and shading gives the piece a sense of depth and realism, and creates an overall sense of mystery.