Den uartige pige i skammekrogen 1861

Lorenz Frølich created this small drawing of a naughty girl in a corner, using pen and brown ink, with grey wash on paper. The monochrome palette emphasizes the stark simplicity of the scene. The strokes of the pen are loose and expressive, with visible layering of ink and quick strokes of a brush. The grey wash lends depth and volume, particularly to the heavy curtain looming over the girl. The thinness of the paper support allows the ink to bleed and feather, creating a soft, almost dreamlike quality. The way this drawing was made – quickly, economically, and with accessible materials – suggests a world of artistic practice far from high-flown notions of genius. It sits within a world of illustration, storytelling, and graphic communication. It prompts us to reflect on the value we place on different kinds of making, and what we might learn by bringing them into closer proximity.