The Arming of Bellona 1675 - 1785

Laurent Hubert made this drawing, "The Arming of Bellona", sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century, using graphite and red chalk on paper. The drawing’s linear quality, achieved by layering different chalks, focuses attention on the act of image making itself. Hubert appears to have considered the material’s inherent qualities of texture and weight. The red chalk lines are much bolder than the graphite ones, which may indicate how the artist wanted the viewer to perceive the subjects in the artwork. The processes he engaged with, like drawing, connect the work to traditions of creative practices and aesthetics, and the art of fine drawing. This artwork reflects the amount of work and technique it takes to create such a dramatic scene, and it emphasizes the importance of materials, making, and context in understanding the full meaning of an artwork, challenging traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.