Meisje aangereden door een paardenkar 1887 - 1916

Willem Pothast made this pencil drawing, ‘Meisje aangereden door een paardenkar,’ translating to 'Girl Hit by a Horse Cart', at an unknown date. Just look at that chaotic scene! You can see how the artist painstakingly captured the expressions of shock and dismay. I can imagine Pothast working in his studio, pausing, squinting, and then back to the frenetic energy of the scene before him. The textures feel so delicate, especially the soft lines detailing the horse's mane and the girl's sprawling hair. I wonder if he was thinking about other narrative artists when he made this, like maybe Honoré Daumier, who was also great at capturing dramatic human moments. It’s like Pothast is saying, "Hey, look at this moment!" and we, as viewers, are compelled to stop and engage with it. Artists are always in conversation, borrowing, reacting, and pushing each other to see the world a little differently, and with a little more empathy.