Galopperende hest 1922

Joakim Skovgaard made this drawing of a galloping horse in 1922. It’s just a simple line drawing, but it says so much about movement and energy. You know, when I look at it, I think about how much information we can get from so little. It's like Skovgaard is saying, "Here's the essence of a horse in motion." The lines are economical, like a quick sketch in a notebook. There’s this amazing zigzag under the belly of the horse; is it a shadow, is it musculature, or is it just a scribble? Whatever it is, it gives the whole drawing a feeling of being alive and in process. It makes me think of Daumier, with his gritty, urban scenes full of ordinary people, or maybe even some cave paintings! It's like Skovgaard is tapping into something primal, the raw energy of life itself. This is what art does, it puts us in touch with something bigger than ourselves.