Beridersken. 1908 - 1909

Othon Friesz made this drawing, Beridersken, using pen and ink. I see a rider with a top hat holding a whip above their head. It is so alive with movement that I feel like the artist probably made it very quickly. It's got that quality of improvisation I love, where you just attack the paper and see what comes out. I bet Friesz wasn't being too precious about it. That big swoosh of a line that makes up the whip—it’s so casual and confident. It reminds me of a Cy Twombly gesture. You can tell he knows exactly where he wants that line to go. This is the kind of mark-making that makes painting so exciting. It’s like you can feel the artist’s body moving as they make the work. Friesz is showing us how the simple act of drawing can be such a powerful form of expression. I love the confidence. It’s as if to say, "I know what I’m doing."