Almanak med håndskrevne notater 1848 1848

Martinus Rørbye made this drawing in 1848, using ink on paper. The artist's hand is very evident here, not just in the subject, but the quick, assured lines of ink, a medium which allows for little correction. The paper itself is also worth noting. It's not fine art paper, but rather, a page torn from a notepad or perhaps an almanac, with faint lines of text visible. The drawing has an immediacy, as though Rørbye captured the figure in a moment of contemplation. The fluidity of the ink gives a sense of volume to the figure, with rapid strokes implying shadow and form. It is a study, an intimate glimpse into Rørbye's artistic process. By choosing such a commonplace material as a notebook page, Rørbye collapses the distance between high art and the everyday, reminding us that creativity often emerges from the simplest of means.