Die Versuchung des Heiligen Antonius 

Ludwig Bornträger created this drawing of Saint Anthony's temptation using graphite, a humble material. It is a form of carbon, usually mixed with clay for hardness. Here, the graphite is applied with varying pressure, to create delicate gradations of light and shadow. The soft, almost hazy quality of the drawing gives the scene an ethereal, dreamlike quality. You can see how the artist built up the image, line by line, creating texture through hatching. The choice of graphite, a readily available and relatively inexpensive material, is interesting in itself. It reflects a democratic impulse, a desire to make art accessible. The drawing captures the saint’s inner struggle, and the artist's choice of medium reinforces the idea that profound experiences can be rendered with simple tools. It underscores that the value of art lies not in costly materials, but in the skill and vision of the artist.