Studie van een staande koe c. 1800 - 1900

Hendrik Verspoeken made this drawing of a standing cow with graphite on paper. These materials may seem commonplace now, but the story of the pencil is one of technological innovation, as graphite mines were developed and refined in the 18th and 19th centuries. Verspoeken skillfully uses the graphite pencil to create a drawing of light and shadow, with each stroke carefully considered, from the soft shading along the cow's body, to the firmer marks describing musculature. Although not explicitly stated, the materiality of the drawing speaks volumes about the animal's conditions. The cow's thin frame suggests the economics of dairy farming, where the animal is a means to an end. So, the next time you reach for a pencil, remember its rich history, and its ability to capture both the beauty and the socio-economic realities of the world around us.