In einer Bauernstube stirbt ein alter Mann, von den Seinigen beweint 

This evocative drawing of an old man’s death in a peasant household was rendered by Pietro Palmieri the Elder with pen and brown ink, over graphite. The sepia wash that Palmieri applied is critical to understanding the artwork. A popular technique at the time, the sepia wash was extracted from the ink sac of cuttlefish, rendering subtle tonal gradations. The sepia technique imbues the drawing with a sombre, and emotional quality, perfectly capturing the scene's gravity. The effect is enhanced by the artist's technique. The light and shadows are delicately evoked by the sepia ink. Palmieri's method enhances the drama of the moment, from the monk and the women surrounding the death bed, down to the dying man. The beauty of the final effect belies the somewhat ‘industrial’ process of sepia extraction and manipulation, reminding us that materials and making are inseparable from the meaning of any artwork. The drawing prompts us to reflect on the social and cultural significance of both the subject matter and the artist's technique.