Graphite has been a common drawing tool in Europe since the 16th century, but its use became more widespread during the late 18th century. The mineral graphite is a crystalline form of the element carbon, which occurs naturally in different rock formations. In early uses, it was cut into sticks and wrapped in twine or a porte-crayon, a tool designed to hold small pieces of chalk or charcoal. Nicolas-Jacques Conté later invented pencils, a word derived from the Latin word for brush, which were fabricated from clay or wood and lower-quality graphite. Today’s pencils are very similar but come in diverse qualities that help artists control both the texture and tonal value of a drawn line. While many artists choose to use graphite as their primary medium, it is also common for artists to sketch with graphite as a preliminary drawing for works completed in other mediums.

Explore graphite drawings in the collection.