Kalaki (Gohtan) 1914

Martiros Sarian sketched Kalaki in 1934, using a humble pencil on paper. It is a landscape of Gohtan. The magic here lies in how much Sarian coaxes from so little. Pencil is typically seen as a preliminary medium, a way to quickly capture a composition before committing to paint. But here, the artist embraces its directness. The varying pressure of the pencil creates a range of tonal values, from the faintest suggestion of distant peaks to the solid dark lines of the foreground trees and buildings. The paper itself also plays a role. Its warm tone and slight texture peek through the drawing, creating a sense of light and atmosphere. The sketch is rendered swiftly, with a minimum of strokes. Sarian invites us to appreciate the beauty of a place, conjured with just a pencil, paper, and the vision of an artist. It is an intimate and immediate way to connect with a place and time. Ultimately, it challenges any distinction between fine art and craft.