Ruitergevecht 1630s - 1640s

Gerard ter Borch II made this drawing of a cavalry battle using graphite on paper. A drawing such as this would have been considered a study, a means to an end rather than an end in itself. While the artist’s skill is evident in the composition, the roughness of the graphite medium lends the drawing a sense of immediacy and movement. The marks left on the page tell us the history of its making: swift, gestural lines sketching out horses and riders. Ter Borch wasn’t necessarily thinking of posterity as he created it. The drawing's modest materials and direct process offer a glimpse into the artist's working practice. This challenges any strict distinction between "high art" and more quotidian forms of creative exploration. By considering the processes and materials of artmaking, we can gain a richer understanding of the artist's intentions and the cultural context in which they worked.