Meisje zittend op een steen en een vrouw in een hoepelrok 1840

This graphite sketch was made by Johannes Tavenraat. It depicts two women, one in a large, hooped skirt, the other sitting on a rock. The immediacy of the graphite medium allows us to see the artist's hand at work, capturing a fleeting moment with quick, gestural lines. The varying pressure of the graphite creates depth and shadow, delineating the folds of the women’s dresses and the rough texture of the stone. It's important to think about the social context here, with women wearing specific garments. The pencil has allowed Tavenraat to imbue the artwork with cultural significance, as graphite, a readily available material, democratizes artistic expression. It invites the viewer to consider the relationship between the artist's hand, the subject matter, and the broader social landscape, blurring the lines between fine art and everyday life.