Kerkinterieur 1827 - 1891

This sketch of a church interior was drawn by Johannes Bosboom, sometime in the 19th century, using graphite on paper. Bosboom's choice of graphite offers a study in contrasts. The medium is capable of great detail and precision, yet here it’s used with a wonderful lightness of touch. Graphite itself is an industrial material, mined and processed for a variety of uses, but it’s also deeply connected to the history of art. Think of the Renaissance artists who used lead point, a direct predecessor to the graphite pencil, for their preparatory drawings. The sketch appears rapidly executed, a record of a fleeting moment. The soft gray tonality lends a sense of atmosphere to the interior space. Bosboom's open-ended approach invites us to consider the role of drawing as both a technical exercise, and a means of capturing light and space. It reminds us that even the simplest materials, combined with a skilled hand, can offer profound insight.