View of the Prądnik Valley near Ojców 1860

Józef Simmler rendered this sketch of the Prądnik Valley with graphite pencil on paper. It’s a traditional pairing of material and process, yet charged with cultural meaning. Simmler used line work to describe the scene, blocking in shadow and light, building up the textures of rock, foliage, and water. Pencil is an incredibly versatile material, allowing artists to capture fine detail as well as broad tonal ranges. It is, in essence, a tool of exploration. In the 19th century, rapid industrialization demanded a constant stream of images for documentation, dissemination, and speculation, and drawings could be produced and circulated relatively quickly. Simmler would have relied on his own skill and labor in order to generate a final product with aesthetic and economic value. The drawing represents an investment of the artist’s time and skill, embodying the spirit of industriousness. By considering the labor embedded in the artwork, we can appreciate its value as a form of cultural production.