The invention of the art of drawing

Painted in 1776 and held by the Groeningemuseum in Bruges, The Invention of the Art of Drawing is one of Suvée's most conceptually rich works — and one of the most debated subjects in the history of artistic mythology. The legend, reported by Pliny the Elder, held that drawing was invented by the daughter of the Corinthian potter Butades, who traced the shadow of her departing lover's profile on a wall to preserve his likeness before he left for war. This origin myth for art — rooting image-making in love, loss, and the desire to preserve human presence — was a powerful subject for Neoclassical painters who were themselves theorizing the foundations of artistic mimesis. Suvée's version competed with Joseph Wright of Derby's and Jean-Baptiste Regnault's treatments of the same story, each interpreting the moment differently. The Groeningemuseum's holdings give particular prominence to this landmark work.

The composition focuses on the young woman in the act of tracing the shadow profile of her seated companion by candlelight. Suvée uses a single warm light source — the candle or lamp — to create the shadow and illuminate the tracers and the traced simultaneously. The intimate scale and nocturnal setting create an atmosphere of concentrated tenderness.