Drie herders in gesprek naast een kudde schapen Possibly 1650

Harmen ter Borch made this drawing of three shepherds in conversation with pencil on paper in 1653. Pencil is a humble material, really just graphite, but it's capable of exquisite subtlety. Notice how Ter Borch coaxes a range of tones and textures from it, the dense hatching of the tree contrasting with the lighter lines defining the sheep. The choice of such a direct, unpretentious medium speaks to the subject: the everyday lives of working people. We see the labor, the long hours spent in the field, etched in the very lines of the drawing. The figures are not idealized but shown with a casual realism. While the subject matter is pastoral, Ter Borch's focus is on the human element, the quiet dignity of these rural figures. It is a reminder that even the simplest materials, combined with skill and attention, can yield profound insight into the human condition. This work challenges any rigid boundary between fine art and the depiction of working life.