Swearing to the right 1912

This drawing, 'Swearing to the right,' was made by Ferdinand Hodler with graphite on paper. It's all about the line, isn’t it? How a few strokes can suggest movement, tension, a whole story, really. I’m drawn to the confident, almost impatient way Hodler lays down these lines. Look at the figure’s raised arm—see how the lines are quick, a little messy, but they totally nail the gesture? There’s this raw energy, a sense of capturing something fleeting. The weight of the figure is all in that one leg, the other just barely there, like he’s about to stride right off the page. Hodler’s economy of means reminds me of Giacometti, both artists were interested in the essence of form, not the fussy details. It’s like they’re saying, "Here’s the basic shape, now feel the feeling." And isn’t that what art’s really about, anyway?