Felslandschaft mit Eseltreiber 

Franz Kobell made this landscape scene with an ass driver in the late 18th century using pen and brown ink with brown wash over graphite on paper. Notice the meticulous hatching and cross-hatching, built up into three-dimensional forms. The landscapes' rough rock surfaces and leafy trees required close observation and skilled hand work to render believably. This was a luxury item, a demonstration of the artist's ability to transform mundane materials into a convincing illusion. The very act of drawing, in this context, could be seen as a form of labor, akin to the work done by the ass driver depicted within the scene. Kobell was part of a broader movement of artists who sought to ennoble craft, demonstrating that skill and attention could elevate even humble subjects to the level of fine art. This drawing, with its careful execution and subtle use of light and shadow, invites us to appreciate the beauty in the everyday and the artistry involved in capturing it on paper.