Figuur bij een boom op het landgoed Rhederoord 1833

Johannes Tavenraat made this drawing of a figure by a tree at Rhederoord, using graphite pencil on paper. Pencil on paper, a simple pairing, yet rich with possibilities. Graphite, a form of carbon, allows the artist to capture subtle gradations of tone, from the faintest whisper of a line to deeper, more emphatic marks. In this drawing, Tavenraat uses line economically, yet he manages to convey the bulk and texture of the tree. Consider the act of drawing itself – a direct transfer of the artist’s thoughts to paper, requiring a sensitivity of hand and eye. Drawing has long been the bedrock of art education, where mastering the use of line is the foundation of visual literacy, preceding the supposed ‘high arts’ such as painting and sculpture. Yet, it also stands as a craft in its own right. The directness and intimacy of drawing, its accessibility as a medium, allows for an unmediated engagement with the world, challenging traditional notions of artistic hierarchy.