Fiddler (study for the Jolly Flatboatmen) 1846

George Caleb Bingham created this graphite drawing as a study for his painting “The Jolly Flatboatmen,” capturing a scene from 19th-century American life. The drawing’s monochrome medium emphasizes form and light, directing our focus to the posture and attire of the musician. It is a quick study, but note how Bingham nevertheless pays attention to the texture of the man's clothes, and the staved construction of the barrel he sits upon. He captures the fiddler's absorbed concentration, head tilted towards his instrument. Consider the artistry not only in Bingham's hand, but also in that of the craftsman who made the fiddle, and the cooper who made the barrel. These trades were essential to the economy of the Missouri River, a conduit for commerce and culture. The drawing provides insight into the leisure and labor of those who lived and worked along its shores. It's a reminder that what we now call fine art is always enmeshed in the material realities of its time.