Schetsblad met studies van figuren en een ezel 1797 - 1870

This is a study sheet of figures and a donkey by Andreas Schelfhout, created with graphite. A network of delicate graphite lines sketch out several groupings of figures, each exhibiting subtle variations in posture and attire. Schelfhout's use of line is particularly striking. He employs it not merely to delineate form, but to suggest movement and volume. The figures are rendered with a remarkable economy of means. It is this economy of line that endows the sketch with its dynamism and vitality. The artist leaves much to the viewer's imagination, inviting us to complete the forms and participate in the act of creation. What is particularly compelling is the way Schelfhout uses a formal approach to engage broader questions about the nature of seeing and representation. By presenting these figures in a state of becoming, Schelfhout underscores the constructed nature of perception. This reflects an awareness of how we actively interpret and give meaning to the visual world around us.