Jozef door zijn broers herkend c. 1734 - 1801

Jacobus Buys created this drawing, "Jozef door zijn broers herkend," with pen and gray ink, and brush in gray, a technique known as "Pen in grijs en penseel in grijs." The artwork's material execution has social and cultural significance because it evokes a sense of the past, reflecting its creation in the 18th century, with fine arts and craft intertwined. Buys employed traditional art materials, allowing for intricate details and tonal variations. The work seems like an engraving, a technique used for mass production, which democratizes art, and evokes the politics of consumption. The amount of work invested in this work by Buys is visible in the control of the media, and precision of lines. Materials, making, and context help us understand the full meaning of an artwork, and challenge traditional notions of fine art and craft.