Group of Deer in a Forest, Paulus Potter, 1647

black chalk, h 241mm × w 319mm More details

By varying the pressure he put on the black chalk while drawing, Potter introduced a surprising amount of depth and movement into this scene. The two fighting stags in the middle of the drawing virtually jump off the paper. This draws attention away from the bawdy detail at the right. This kind of drollery would have amused people in the 17th century.