Abklatsch van de krijttekening op pagina 41 recto 1874 - 1925

Here's a transfer of a chalk drawing, made by Jan Veth. Chalk is an interesting material because it's so basic—just a soft, porous rock, easily powdered and reformed. Think about what that means for the drawing process. The artist isn't so much applying a mark to the page, as leaving a trace, a residue. In this case, that trace is even more indirect, a copy of a copy, in effect. Now, consider the economic context of a drawing like this. Chalk is cheap and easily available. Paper too, was becoming more widely accessible during Veth's time. So, this artwork, simple as it may seem, speaks to broader trends of material production and consumption. What was the artist trying to capture, by making this ephemeral image even more so? Next time you look at a drawing, think about the materials involved and how they shape the final result. By doing so, we can begin to understand the true meaning of the artwork.