Puck mit Kleidung, erhobenem Zeigefinger und in die Seite gestütztem Arm, gehend, nach links c. 1867 - 1868

Paul Konewka made this pencil drawing of Puck sometime in the 19th century. It’s a quick sketch, really just the barest outline of a figure, on what looks like a scrap of paper. There's not a lot of labor involved in making a drawing like this, but even so, the hand of the artist is completely evident. You can see the artist thinking through the composition, making slight adjustments to the line as he goes. There is a crispness and efficiency that comes from Konewka's mastery of the material. It may have been a preparatory sketch for one of his famous silhouette illustrations, which were made using a mechanical cutting technique. In this light, the drawing looks less like a finished work of art, and more like a record of the artist's thought process. It reminds us that all creative work has a beginning, even if that beginning is just a simple mark on a page.