Betrunkener, umgekippt am Boden liegend c. 1870

Wilhelm Busch rendered this drawing of a drunken man on paper using graphite in the 19th century. Graphite, as a medium, is immediate, accessible and easily reproducible, aligning itself with the realities of everyday life, a quality Busch exploits to its full extent. Notice how Busch has used the graphite to define the figure's dishevelled posture and loosened clothing with swift, sure strokes; the marks of a simple medium carrying a heavy narrative weight. The starkness of the image, created with minimal shading and detail, invites a visceral response, as does the composition, with the man strewn inelegantly on the ground after a spree, drawing attention to his vulnerability. The drawing could be interpreted as social commentary, reflecting on themes of poverty and inebriation, and the material simplicity of graphite emphasizes the raw reality of the subject matter. In considering Busch’s choice of materials and subject, we begin to understand how deeply art can engage with the social realities of its time, blurring the lines between the high and low.