Towpath rider 1909

Fritz Boehle made this drawing, Towpath rider, with pen and brown ink on paper. When I look at this drawing, I see that the artist is not just depicting a scene, but is also deeply engaged in mark-making. The whole thing is a loving network of lines. Boehle uses line to define every element, from the architecture in the background to the figures of the man and his horses. He uses hatching and cross-hatching to create depth and shadow, filling the world with texture. It makes me think about how every stroke is a decision. Where to place it, how dark to make it, how long to draw it out. I imagine Boehle carefully considering each line, slowly building up the image layer by layer. The precision and control of the pen are incredible here. The horses, the towpath rider, the logs, the anchor – all these elements are brought together through Boehle’s unique vision, which transforms observation into a network of marks. Artists like Boehle teach us how to see the world through the act of drawing.