Hut in Leysin 1913

Koloman Moser made this sweet little drawing of a hut in Leysin with colored pencils; it’s a simple, almost childlike scene. The texture is created by layers of soft, waxy marks, especially in the foreground, where strokes of green, yellow, and brown build up the grassy hill. Look closely at the roof of the hut; see how the crisscrossing lines create depth and shadow, suggesting the rough texture of the tiles. The colors are muted, creating a hazy, dreamlike atmosphere, which makes the scene feel both familiar and distant. The drawing is sketchy and loose, with a kind of directness that feels really intimate. It reminds me a little of Paul Klee’s more whimsical drawings, where the line between reality and fantasy is wonderfully blurred. Ultimately, it’s the way Moser embraces the simplicity of the materials and the scene that really speaks to me. It’s not about perfection, but about the joy of seeing and recording a fleeting moment.