Twee worstelaars, van wie de een de ander optilt c. 1877 - 1936

Henri-Gabriel Ibels made this drawing of two wrestlers, one hoisting the other, with ink, and maybe some gouache on paper. I imagine him sketching quickly, trying to capture the heave and dynamism of the wrestling match. Look how much he's done with so little! It's incredible. The bodies are rendered with just a few lines each, but those lines really get at the tilt and thrust of the bodies. It's like he's grabbing the energy right out of the air. I am struck by how well the bodies fit into the simple, limited colour scheme. The tan background really lets the figures pop. I wonder what Ibels was thinking about as he made this drawing. Was he interested in the movement of the bodies, or the feeling of the match? Maybe both? It reminds me a little of the work of Daumier, who was also interested in capturing everyday life. There is something about the artist's eye that makes you look at the world differently. Each artist inspires one another.