Cartoon for Venus c. 1893

This is Elihu Vedder's preparatory 'Cartoon for Venus,' made with graphite, likely on paper. Vedder has used the graphic qualities of the medium to his advantage, modulating the tones to suggest the form and volume of his figures, and creating a striking chiaroscuro effect. But why graphite? And why a cartoon? We often think of graphite as a sketching medium, a means to an end. The artist has used it to explore the composition and design of a larger mural painting, or a mosaic, both of which demanded painstaking labor. Looking closely, we can see the artist using graphite to define the boundaries between the figures and the background, creating visual interest, as well as to provide instructions. This emphasizes the importance of process in understanding an artwork's full meaning, and blurs the lines between fine art, craft, and design.