Road Scene in Windsor Forest 

Benjamin West made this drawing of Windsor Forest using graphite and brown wash. Graphite, essentially pencil lead, allowed for fine lines and subtle shading. The brown wash adds depth, creating a sense of atmosphere that contrasts with the precision of the graphite. While landscape painting might seem detached from labor, think about the paper itself. Handmade paper at the time was an intensive craft, involving the pulping of rags, forming sheets, and drying them. Also, the graphite, though a naturally occurring mineral, had to be mined and processed. The act of drawing became more accessible as materials became standardized and available. West’s artistry lay not only in his ability to depict the scene but also in his careful use of materials that had their own stories to tell. By recognizing this, we can appreciate the social and material networks that underpinned even the most seemingly straightforward landscape drawing.