Naar links kijkende man 1820 - 1830

This drawing of a man looking left was created by Jean Augustin Daiwaille, using graphite on paper. Daiwaille employs techniques that emphasize the tonal range achievable with graphite, moving from the softest grays to near blacks. You might consider graphite simply as the stuff of everyday pencils, but here it’s been deployed as a medium for serious portraiture. The artist builds up tone through delicate hatching and cross-hatching, manipulating the graphite to create subtle gradations of light and shadow. Note the close attention to detail in the rendering of the man’s features and hair. Daiwaille transforms what we might think of as a humble material into something quite refined. The very act of drawing, with its inherent immediacy and intimacy, offers a direct connection to the artist's hand. In this work, the skillful use of graphite elevates a common material, reminding us that art isn't just about the subject, but the artist's touch, skill, and the transformative power of making.