Christ in Emmaus 

Giovanni Antonio Guardi made this drawing, Christ in Emmaus, using pen and brown ink wash. It is a traditional medium for sketches, allowing for the quick notation of ideas. But let's consider what wash drawings like this one actually do. The artist has used the sepia ink to produce varying degrees of darkness, giving the image depth and dynamism. It is clear that Guardi was interested in capturing the divine energy of the scene, rather than the material reality. We can also infer something about Guardi's workshop practices. Because it is quickly executed and uses very little material, a wash drawing is the perfect medium for trying out ideas, and training assistants. In a workshop dependent on the mass production of images, such drawings would be a way of experimenting before committing to larger, more expensive works. So, in a drawing like this one, we see the economic realities of artistic production shining through. It reminds us that art is always work.