Graaf Floris V vindt het lijk van zijn vader, Willem II 1782 - 1784

Jacobus Buys made this drawing of 'Graaf Floris V finds the body of his father, Willem II' using pen and brown ink, with brush in gray, likely in the late 18th century. The monochromatic palette is important here. By focusing on the tones of grey, Buys directs our attention away from the potential drama of the scene, and instead asks us to consider the labor involved. Look at the man digging with a shovel, the positioning of his body as he unearths the corpse. There's a stark contrast between the manual work being undertaken, and the figures standing idly by in the background, dressed in their finery. Drawings like this were often preparatory studies for larger paintings or prints, but here the starkness of the medium serves to highlight the class divisions inherent in this historical narrative. It is a reminder that history is not just about kings and nobles, but also about the many people who labored to make their world possible. Ultimately, this drawing uses its very simplicity of means to make a complex social point.