Russischer Bauer, sinnend bei seinen Vorräten sitzend 

This sketch was made by Wilhelm Amandus Beer, and it shows a Russian peasant sitting with his stores. It’s a humble scene, rendered with a humble material: graphite on paper. The artist’s hand moves across the surface, capturing the scene with quick, delicate lines. The texture of the paper itself becomes part of the artwork, lending it a sense of immediacy. Beer is not using expensive oil paints or marble; he is using readily available materials to document a scene from everyday life. The sketch provides a glimpse into the lives of ordinary people, and an appreciation for the labor involved in producing and storing basic necessities. The choice of materials and the way the artist uses them, elevates this simple sketch beyond a mere depiction, encouraging us to consider the social and economic realities of the subject.