Alexander the Great and Porus 

Vincenzo Camuccini made this drawing, Alexander the Great and Porus, using pen and brown ink. The strokes, applied with meticulous control, create a range of fine lines and denser cross-hatching to build up the image. Camuccini's choice of pen and ink, a traditional medium for preparatory sketches, emphasizes the act of drawing as intellectual exploration. The linear quality allows for precise detailing of figures and forms, while the monochrome palette focuses attention on the composition and the artist's skillful rendering of light and shadow. The labor-intensive nature of pen and ink drawing, requiring patience and precision, reflects a commitment to craftsmanship, characteristic of academic art practices of the time. In this historical moment the making is tied to the labor and value systems that uphold artistic tradition. It really invites us to consider how the artwork’s meaning is tied to its making.