Four men riding on top of a carriage being drawn by four horses 1903

Edward Penfield made this drawing of four men on horseback, at an unknown date, using simple shapes and a limited palette. There is a real confidence to the application of line and color. It’s like Penfield knows exactly what he wants to show us. The surface is smooth and flat, which makes me think this is a print. There's an interesting contrast between the simplified forms and the details in the harnesses and clothing. I love the way the horses’ manes and tails are defined, so economical. Take a look at the horse at the front – the way the colors and shapes give it form. It reminds me that art isn't about perfect representation but about finding the essence of something, distilling it down. It makes me think a little of Toulouse Lautrec, who also made popular posters with a real confidence of line. It's a good reminder that art is a conversation across time, and that we can find something fresh and new in the work of the past.