Three Seated Figures 

Here is a drawing in pen and brown ink on paper by John Flaxman, dating from around the late 18th century. The artist sketched three seated figures with light, tentative marks on the page. What I find compelling here is how eloquently the artist is able to convey form with so little material. There's a kind of directness, a refusal to be fussy, that gives it a modern feel. The figures are nude, but not sensual. They are just there, presented on the page with the minimum of fuss. You could say that Flaxman treated the pen as a sculptor might treat a chisel, reducing the figures to their essence with swift, sure strokes. It's worth noting that Flaxman made his living designing for industrial production, particularly Wedgwood pottery. In that context, quick sketches like this one were a means to an end. It’s a reminder that what we now think of as fine art was once deeply intertwined with industry.