Two labourers and two women labourers 1662

Esaias Boursse rendered this drawing of laborers using graphite on paper in the 17th century. Graphite, a readily available material, allows for a remarkable range of tonal variation. But, it’s more than just a convenient medium here. Boursse’s choice of graphite is interesting, given its relative disposability. The artist’s delicate strokes capture the dignity of the laboring figures. Their expressions, though somewhat inscrutable, suggest a complex inner life, a marked contrast to the material's modest nature. We see the details in the woven basket, the drapery, and the distinct hairstyles of each individual. Graphite enables the subtle gradations of light and shadow that model the figures' forms. It’s in this contrast between the simplicity of means and the profundity of subject that Bourse's commentary emerges. While the drawing doesn’t romanticize labor, it undeniably grants these workers a certain humanity. It's a reminder that even the most common materials can be used to make the invisible visible.