Staande man met jas en hoofddeksel c. 1880 - 1887

This graphite on paper artwork, "Standing Man with Coat and Hat" is by Louis Apol. The artist seems to have captured a passerby on a common piece of graph paper. The medium – graphite – is humble and immediate, perfect for quickly capturing a fleeting impression. Apol’s choice to use a simple pencil and ordinary paper is significant. Graphite is the tool of the draughtsman, the architect, and the everyday user. The graph paper suggests functionality. This isn't a grand statement, but a casual observation, sketched with the same instrument one might use for calculations or notes. The sketch's immediacy and the choice of materials speak to the democratization of art. It challenges the notion of art as requiring precious materials or elaborate techniques, instead finding value in the everyday and the easily accessible. It is a subtle reminder that art-making can be an act of observation available to anyone.