Bildnis eines unbekannten jungen Mannes; eine manteltragende Gestalt 

Carl Barth made this portrait study of an unknown young man using graphite on brownish paper. The softness of the graphite allows for the subtle rendering of light and shadow, evident in the subject's face and the folds of his cloak. Consider how the material itself, that graphite, can achieve so many different effects, from a barely-there line to the dense shading that models the young man's cheek. This wasn't just technical virtuosity on Barth's part. It also implies a certain social setting. Graphite at this time was a luxury material, carefully mined and processed. The relative ease with which Barth sketches belies the considerable labor involved in its production and distribution. In this way, even a simple drawing can open up a view onto the wider networks of work and consumption.