Staande olifant 1800

Jean Bernard made this drawing of a standing elephant around 1800, using graphite on paper. The texture and form of the elephant are delicately rendered through the varying pressure of the graphite pencil, a relatively new technology at the time. Graphite offered artists a readily available, consistent medium, moving away from the variable qualities of earlier drawing materials like charcoal or metalpoint. Look closely, and you can see how Bernard uses hatching and cross-hatching to build up the form and volume of the animal, creating a convincing illusion of three-dimensionality. The precision and detail achieved with this humble material are remarkable. This drawing is a reminder that even the simplest of materials, when combined with skill and close observation, can produce works of great beauty and expressive power. It also speaks to the democratizing potential of industrial materials, enabling a wider range of artists to create and share their vision.