Wolken 1875

George Clausen’s study of Wolken, or Clouds, captures a moment of fleeting atmosphere with incredible economy of means: pencil and wash on paper. It’s deceptively simple. Look closely, and you’ll see that the image is composed of discrete strokes, each laid down with sensitivity. Clausen’s technique here is not unlike that of a stonemason, or a weaver. Each element, small in itself, combines to create a larger unity. This kind of labour-intensive process resonates strongly with the Impressionist painters, who often depicted working-class subjects and the transformation of the natural world into the built environment. Though ‘Wolken’ is only a sketch, it shows how even the most ephemeral subject – a passing cloud – can be understood through the lens of craft. It reminds us that making, and the labor it entails, is always a form of thinking.