Huts 1899

Isaac Levitan made this work, "Huts," with graphite on paper. It's a humble combination of materials, immediate and accessible. The artist used the pencil to create a landscape of simple dwellings. The very qualities of graphite – its potential for both precision and smudged, atmospheric effects – are evident here. Look at the subtle gradations of tone, creating depth and shadow. The artist uses line to define form. The choice of such a readily available material reflects a departure from the more formal, academic traditions of painting at the time. Graphite democratizes the artistic process, making it available for anyone to put on paper their views and experiences. We are left to consider the simple life of Russian peasants in the late 19th century, and how this was seen through the eyes of an artist who himself came from humble beginnings. By valuing the qualities and processes associated with drawing, we can see how the artist elevates the everyday and challenges traditional hierarchies within the art world.