Papers and Books Arranged on a Table

James Ensor made this drawing of papers and books using graphite on paper. With simple tools, Ensor coaxes out a surprising sense of weight. Notice the artist’s hand at work, the repetitive hatching, the insistent pressure, and the rubbing of the graphite into the page. Graphite is a humble material, associated more with the everyday act of writing than the fine arts. This underscores the connection of the subject matter to work, and the commerce of art. Ensor was fascinated by the material culture of the printed image, and this still life is a tribute to the knowledge that it contained. However, the drawing also represents a way of transforming paper—an inexpensive, mass-produced material—into something precious, with a value all its own. Looking closely at the materials and the making reminds us that artistic vision is always grounded in real-world processes.