Alexander de Grote ontmoet koning Taxiles c. 1655 - 1665

Leonaert Bramer made this drawing of Alexander the Great meeting King Taxiles with pen and brown ink, brush and gray wash, over black chalk. The artist is working within a well-worn tradition of drawing, but the effects he coaxes from these humble materials are quite striking. Look at the way that Bramer uses the gray wash to evoke the weight and texture of the figures' garments. It's especially evident on the elephants, where the wash creates a sense of their enormous mass. While this appears at first to be a quick sketch, notice how much detail is included. The labor involved in such a drawing should not be overlooked. The artist's skill is evident in the way he captures the scene's drama, using light and shadow to create a sense of depth and movement. This drawing challenges the traditional hierarchy between fine art and craft, demonstrating the expressive potential of so-called everyday materials and techniques.