Illustrationer til H. V. Kaalund "Fabler for Børn" 1845

This drawing, made by Adolph Kittendorff to illustrate H. V. Kaalund’s “Fabler for Børn,” is rendered in pencil on paper. It is a study, an outline, a sketch of a child holding a plate. The artist's hand is evident in the pencil strokes, which appear light and free. The thin lines of the drawing, and the tan color of the paper support this impression. Rather than being highly finished, every mark is visible, every change of direction. This quality implies a certain intimacy. Kittendorff captures a quick, unposed moment, like a snapshot. Interestingly, drawing has always had this dual capacity: as both a stage in the making of something else, and as a final statement in itself. In the context of the Industrial Revolution, when drawing became ever more important to design and manufacture, this kind of rapid image-making gained new cultural force. It’s a reminder that the art of making is often a delicate dance between intention and chance.