Gezicht op het stadhuis van Den Haag 1838 - 1887

Here is Frederik Hendrik Weissenbruch's delicate rendering of The Hague City Hall, made with graphite on paper. Graphite pencils became widely available in the 19th century, when industrial production made them affordable. Artists were quick to adopt them for sketching, the ideal medium for capturing impressions of the everyday. Look at the fleeting quality of line, suggestive of a moment captured on the go. Weissenbruch’s choice of such an accessible material suggests a desire to connect with a wider public, documenting city life in a way that feels immediate and relatable. Consider the social context of 19th-century Holland: a rapidly urbanizing society, where industry was transforming daily life for all. Weissenbruch’s drawing embodies this shift towards democratization of art, moving away from traditional, academic approaches to embrace the world around him. This simple drawing tool, in his skilled hands, offers a glimpse into the heart of a changing city.