The Lady on the Horse 1901

Alfred Kubin made this drawing, The Lady on the Horse, using pen and ink, and it's all about the push and pull of light and dark, with a heavy dose of the macabre. It looks like he's really exploring the contrast between the clean lines of the horse and rider, and the chaotic jumble of figures below. The surface is alive with tiny marks, a kind of controlled frenzy. The ink is dense in places, creating deep shadows that make the scene feel claustrophobic, and then, areas of light, almost like a spotlight, pick out details like the rocking horse's bizarre, elongated legs. The whole thing feels unstable, like it could tip over any second. Looking at this, I'm reminded of Goya’s Disasters of War series, that same unflinching gaze at the darker side of human experience. But Kubin adds this layer of surreal, almost dreamlike imagery that makes it even more unsettling. It’s a reminder that art doesn’t always have to be pretty. Sometimes, it’s about grappling with the uncomfortable stuff, and Kubin does that with a kind of fearless intensity.