Boom 1817

François Joseph Pfeiffer made this drawing of a tree using pen and ink, sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century. The effect is achieved through careful, almost obsessive mark-making. Look closely, and you’ll see that the texture of the tree trunk, the pattern of the leaves, and the forms of the branches are all suggested by tiny strokes, built up layer after layer. In a way, it's almost like weaving or embroidery. The patient labor involved really comes through. This wasn't an artwork made for industrial production; it was an act of close observation, and careful handwork. Yet in its own way, it reflects the values of an era increasingly defined by those forces. The artist’s intense focus mirrors the specialization of labor that was becoming more and more common. So, while seemingly traditional, this drawing gives us a glimpse into a changing world. It reminds us that even the most seemingly simple materials and processes can be deeply connected to social and cultural shifts.