During a sojourn in Interlaken, Switzerland, Menzel made this drawing of an unknown peasant. He often chose his models from anonymous, ordinary people and was reputed to have selected sitters from a line that gathered outside his studio. This particular drawing demonstrates Menzel’s unique use of charcoal: he is credited for revolutionizing the technique of stumping, or the blending of charcoal, to create an astonishing variety of lines and textures.