Seated Man with a Beard 1886

Vincent van Gogh created this drawing, Seated Man with a Beard, using graphite or charcoal on paper. This work exemplifies a very direct approach to drawing: observe, describe, record. We can see Van Gogh’s rapid marks, building up the form of the figure with energetic hatching. The materiality of the drawing is very simple – just the trace of carbon on a fibrous surface. But that’s exactly the point. Van Gogh isn’t trying to fool us into thinking this is anything other than what it is: a record of his looking. The anonymous sitter is depicted in a moment of rest. The emphasis isn't on his social status, but on the labor of observation and the act of making a connection between artist and model, emphasizing the human element present in the work. Ultimately, this drawing reminds us that the most profound artistic statements can arise from the simplest materials, deftly handled.