Zittende vrouw met japon en gespreide armen 1890

Charles Haslewood Shannon made this drawing of a seated woman with dress and spread arms, using graphite on paper. The seemingly simple act of drawing here is, in fact, a highly skilled practice. Notice how the artist coaxes form from a blank surface, building up tone and texture through layers of delicate lines. The choice of graphite itself is significant. While it is now a readily available material, its properties - the way it glides across the paper, leaving a soft, metallic sheen - have long been prized by artists. In this work, the material's inherent qualities are fully exploited, creating a sense of light and depth that belies the drawing's monochromatic nature. Shannon was clearly engaging with artistic traditions that valorize the human figure and skilled handwork. Ultimately, by emphasizing the importance of materials, making, and context in understanding the full meaning of an artwork, we can challenge traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.