Antieke ruïnes 1600 - 1626

This drawing of antique ruins was made by Paul Bril, sometime before his death in 1626. It is rendered in pen and brown ink, a traditional artistic medium. What's interesting here is the way that Bril has used a relatively simple process to create the illusion of depth and texture. The hatching and cross-hatching of the pen strokes build up a sense of volume and light, particularly in the foliage and the crumbling brickwork of the ruins. Look closely, and you can see how the artist varies the pressure and spacing of the lines to suggest the play of light and shadow. It's a technique that requires careful control and a deep understanding of the materials. This wasn't necessarily considered "high art" at the time. Drawings like this would have been valued for their skill and accuracy, but also as a kind of visual record, almost like a photograph of the time. It highlights that the value of a work is embedded in the skill and labor involved in its production, challenging traditional notions of what constitutes fine art.