Woman with a Shawl n.d.

This is a pencil and watercolor drawing, "Woman with a Shawl," created by Auguste Rodin sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. Though Rodin is best known as a sculptor, draftsmanship was crucial to his practice. Here, the delicate pencil lines create a sense of the figure emerging from the page, with watercolor washes adding depth and volume. The way Rodin builds up the form reminds us that the artist is in pursuit of the figure. He explores it. The result is a beautiful, fragile work, light in its touch but also revealing of the artist's labor. Drawings like this one remind us that even the most monumental works of art begin with an intimate, hands-on process. The artist's skill and vision are evident in every stroke, blurring the line between craft and fine art.