Grabmal des Nicolas de Bautru, Marquis de Vaubrun c. 1677

Charles Le Brun made this drawing of a tomb for Nicolas de Bautru, Marquis de Vaubrun, using graphite on paper. Looking closely at the artwork, you can see a body lying on an elevated platform and a woman clothed in drapery, kneeling beside it with what appears to be a book in her hands. Le Brun used graphite to render the drawing on paper. Graphite pencils produce lines of varying thickness and darkness that are delicate and soft. The artist rendered the figures in the drawing by using hatched lines to build up shadow and volume to emphasize the weight of the body and drapery and to convey emotion. He engaged in drawing techniques that require attention to detail and control over the medium to depict the figures convincingly and imbue them with social and cultural significance. It is in paying attention to the material qualities and making processes evident in this work that we can begin to understand its full meaning and challenge distinctions between fine art and craft.