Studies van poezen 1821 - 1891

Guillaume Anne van der Brugghen made this drawing of cats sometime in the 19th century, using graphite on paper. The medium of graphite is an interesting one. Though we think of it as a quintessential art material, it only became readily available when large deposits of graphite were found in England in the 16th century. Graphite is intrinsically linked to industry; first used for marking sheep, then for lining molds for cannonballs. It was only later that graphite was recognized for its artistic applications. Here, van der Brugghen coaxes a wide range of tonal variation from the graphite, rendering the soft fur of the cats with delicate strokes. You can almost feel the weight of these sleepy felines. This drawing, with its understated materials and focus on capturing a fleeting moment, challenges the traditional hierarchy between fine art and the everyday.