Straat met figuren in Scheveningen c. 1873

Johannes Bosboom made this drawing of a street in Scheveningen with graphite on paper. Look closely, and you can see how the qualities of the graphite—its darkness, its smudginess, its ability to create both sharp lines and soft shading—define the image. Bosboom was skilled in watercolor, and his virtuosity with that medium is well known. Yet here, he chose graphite. This was a practical choice; it was an easily portable and relatively inexpensive material. It allowed him to quickly capture the scene with a directness that watercolor might not have allowed. The drawing appears spontaneous, yet it undoubtedly results from practiced skill. Consider the marks on the paper, the pressure and direction of the artist's hand, and the level of control that Bosboom maintains over his medium, bringing forward what is most important while leaving other areas only lightly sketched. Understanding the material qualities of a work like this, and the purposes it served for the artist, allows us to appreciate not just the image, but the process of its creation.