Portret van een man met een platte hoed, in profiel naar links c. 1892

Julie de Graag made this portrait of a man with a flat hat in profile using graphite pencil and paper. The quick, unassuming nature of graphite belies its deep significance. As a material, graphite is directly linked to the industrial revolution. Mined and processed on a mass scale, it became essential for manufacturing, and of course, mass literacy. In this drawing, De Graag isn't aiming for grand artistic effects. Instead, she uses graphite's inherent qualities, its soft darkness and ease of application, to capture a fleeting moment. Look closely, and you'll notice the casual, almost dashed lines. This approach reflects a shift in art, away from labor-intensive practices, and towards a more immediate engagement with the world. De Graag embraced the unassuming nature of the materials, to engage with art's democratizing potential.