Hermes schläfert Argos mit Musik ein, um ihn zu enthaupten 

Peter Becker made this drawing, Hermes schläfert Argos mit Musik ein, um ihn zu enthaupten, using graphite on paper. It shows an artist working through ideas, thinking on paper. Becker has used the qualities of graphite – its relative softness, its capacity for both smudging and precise mark-making – to full effect here. Notice how he has created the figures using a cluster of lines, a rapid, searching process. This method isn't about pure skill or perfection, but more like a visual conversation with the subject. The ease with which graphite lends itself to sketching surely appealed to Becker; it’s a material that encourages quick studies. The entire scene looks to have been built up from light, tentative gestures, allowing Becker to consider the material consequences of his drawing. The visible labor of the creative process becomes part of the work itself, and this adds a whole other dimension to our appreciation. Considering the materials and making involved allows us to understand how the artist has imbued the artwork with social or cultural significance. It challenges the boundary between craft and fine art.