Gasworks 1882

Vincent van Gogh rendered this drawing of gasworks with graphite on paper. Graphite, a readily available material, allowed Van Gogh to capture a landscape undergoing a transformation. The industrial gasworks emerge from the flat landscape through the marks made by the artist’s hand, and the weight and substance of the graphite on paper imbue a sense of the site’s significance to the artist. The graphite has been applied using hatching, a technique commonly used in drawing, engraving, and other graphic arts. This labor-intensive process, involving the parallel lines to create areas of tone, volume, and shadow, shows his level of dedication. The industrial structures and dark marks on the page highlight themes of labor, class, and consumption of fuel. What’s more, the artist transforms the industrial landscape into something with creative and aesthetic value, challenging our traditional notions of what constitutes art.