Mercury c. 1845

This is a pencil drawing of Mercury, made by an anonymous artist. The starkness and simplicity of the pencil on paper is interesting here. We see an image that is seemingly unfinished, which shows the work and process it takes to make a sculpture. The visible pencil strokes give a sense of the artist's hand and process, and the lack of color and shading keeps the focus on the basic form and structure of the figure. The drawing gives us insight into the artistic process. Rather than a finished sculpture, we see the labor involved. In this way, the drawing emphasizes the importance of skill, labor, and the physical act of creation, and also subtly challenges traditional hierarchies of artistic mediums.