Sheet with Sketches of Working People 1890

This sheet of sketches by Vincent van Gogh is made with graphite on paper. It’s a rapid study of working people, capturing them mid-action as they dig, push wheelbarrows, and haul materials. What strikes me is the immediacy and directness of the graphite medium. Unlike oil paint, which allows for layering and blending, graphite demands a more spontaneous approach. Van Gogh uses quick, gestural lines to suggest the weight and physicality of these laborers, grounding them in the realities of their work. The roughness of the sketches mirrors the hard work of the people depicted. The medium itself becomes a social commentary, a tool for honoring the working class. Van Gogh could have chosen a more refined medium, but instead, he chose the humble pencil to elevate the everyday lives of these workers. It’s a reminder that art doesn't always require precious materials to be powerful.