Seated Girl with Muff n.d.

Kate Greenaway created this sketch of a young girl with graphite on paper. The soft grey lines define the child's features, dress, and large muff, giving the impression of a preliminary study rather than a finished work. The choice of graphite allows for a wide range of tonal values, from the faintest suggestion of a line to the darker shading that models the form. The artist has used this quality to great effect, creating a sense of depth and volume with minimal means. The seemingly simple act of drawing involves a complex interplay between the artist's hand, the tool, and the surface. The texture of the paper, the pressure applied to the graphite, and the artist's control over the medium all contribute to the final image. The artist is not merely representing an image but is making a connection to material and process, and ultimately allowing us to think about how these artistic traditions belong to wider histories of creative practices.