When we think about nature and abstraction with the drawing pencil, that’s a situation that of course has a history. In the past – meaning in the 19th century and before – the only way to communicate what things look like was through realistic representation. With the development of photography, a lot changed for drawing and painting. A Monet would be unthinkable without photography. The Impressionists at the time recognized this opportunity: they were no longer forced to represent things as realism demanded, but they could abstract and express atmospheres. This was the departure into modernism and eventually paved the way for abstract art. The study of nature in drawing is still indispensable for any art education and is very topical.