Man by Window
1881
Ever wonder what people looked like before smartphones distracted them? Gustav Wentzel’s 1881 sketch captures a man completely zoned out, leaning against a window frame in a brimmed hat. The lines are loose and scratchy, giving the scene a 'caught in the act' vibe typical of the Realist movement, which loved showing regular folks doing regular things. With faint hints of a landscape outside, it feels like a 19th-century candid photo of a traveler waiting for a train or just watching the world go by.
- Technique
- Graphite sketch
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- Paper