Studienblatt_ Die Dogge Cäsar, auf der Seite liegend nach links, schlafend; darunter zwei Pferdestudien in starker Untersicht c. 1877 - 1878

Drawn by Wilhelm Trübner, this study sheet features a sleeping dog and two horses rendered in pencil. The composition is dominated by the dog, Cäsar, reclining diagonally across the top half of the paper, its form described through dense hatching and contour lines. Below, the horses are sketched from a dramatically low angle, emphasizing their muscularity. Trübner’s interest in the formal qualities of his subjects is evident. Note the use of line and shading to suggest volume and texture. The dog is heavy and still. By contrast, the horses’ vitality is clear through dynamic lines and the stark contrast between light and shadow. This work reflects the late 19th-century shift towards realism and naturalism. By focusing on the tangible world, Trübner highlights the material presence of the animals. The composition directs our gaze, not towards grand narratives, but towards the intrinsic structure and form of the objects represented.