Ein Pfeife rauchender Mann auf einem Hügel rastend, angelehnt an einen Esel 

This is Rudolf Gudden’s drawing of a man resting with a pipe, leaning on a donkey. Its soft, grey tones evoke a mood of quiet repose, achieved through gentle pencil strokes that define the figures and landscape. The composition is structured around a horizontal axis, emphasizing the relaxed posture of both man and animal. Gudden’s use of line is particularly interesting. Notice how the lines are not definitive but suggestive, creating a sense of immediacy and transience. The smoke from the pipe, rendered with delicate, swirling lines, introduces an element of ephemerality. The interplay between the solid form of the donkey and the dissolving smoke creates a contrast between the material and the immaterial. Gudden destabilizes the traditional notions of portraiture by focusing on the everyday, capturing a moment of leisure rather than an idealized representation. This emphasis on the fleeting and the ordinary reflects broader artistic concerns with challenging fixed meanings and values. The unfinished quality of the drawing reinforces this idea, reminding us that art is always a process, an ongoing exploration.