Stilleven met druiven in een rieten mand 1605 - 1678

Paul de Vos created this drawing of grapes in a basket using pen and brown ink, likely as a preparatory sketch. It is one of many studies found on the page, and it is a great example of an artist working out his ideas. De Vos uses the pen to create texture and volume. Look at the hatching and cross-hatching used to suggest the roundness of the grapes, or the texture of the woven basket. This is a very direct engagement with the materials. The qualities of the ink - its fluidity, its capacity for both fine lines and broad strokes - are fully exploited to describe the different surfaces of the grapes, leaves, and woven basket. Consider also the labor involved in harvesting the grapes. The grapes are not just food but also a commodity produced and consumed. The drawing, itself an object of labor, invites reflection on these relationships, and breaks down hierarchies between fine art and craft.