The Artist's Son Leaning on his Elbow c. 1887

Paul Cézanne made this graphite sketch of his son leaning on his elbow. Graphite, a form of carbon, is the material at the heart of this work. The softness of graphite allows the artist to quickly capture the likeness of a figure. The strokes across the paper show the movement of Cézanne’s hand as he maps out the shapes and shadows of his son’s body. You can see the direct relationship between the artist’s eye, his hand, and the material on the page. Although graphite on paper is not a particularly precious or permanent medium, this drawing holds an intimate record of the labor involved in seeing and representing the world. It challenges traditional notions of art by emphasizing the value of process and the everyday. By focusing on the materials, we gain insight into the artist's practice, breaking down the hierarchy between finished artwork and initial sketch.