Waldlichtung, links vorne eine mächtige Eiche c. 1790 - 1794

Georg Melchior Kraus made this forest clearing with a mighty oak tree in the 18th century, using pen and brown ink with brush and gray wash on paper. The controlled strokes of pen and ink allow the artist to achieve incredible detail, describing the rough texture of the oak’s bark in contrast with the delicate leaves. Kraus’s skilled hand precisely renders light and shadow through gradual tonal variations. Historically, drawings like this one allowed the artist to explore the visual qualities of a natural scene in a relatively direct and efficient manner. It’s easy to forget how difficult and arduous it was to create images before the advent of photography. The quick, transportable medium of ink on paper democratized the production of images, opening up artistic expression to those outside the traditional, hierarchical system of academic painting. Looking closely at materials and making helps us appreciate the ingenuity and social context of artistic practices.