Elephant with Mice on his Back and Trunk c. 1904 - 1906

Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof made this drawing, Elephant with Mice on his Back and Trunk, with graphite, at a time that is unknown. The drawing is a simple linear construction; the forms are not shaded, and the paper is left bare. It’s economical and playful, as if the artist worked it out on the spot! I love the material directness. The marks are so light, and the elephant is created from a minimal number of lines, that curve to suggest the animal’s bulk. What I love most is how Dijsselhof has left the legs incomplete, almost like musical notations, as if the legs could move in time with the music in the artist's head. This reminds me of work by Henri Gaudier-Brzeska, who also used an economy of means to represent animals with humour and affection, although Dijsselhof has more charm. Ultimately, what matters is the way the artwork makes us feel and wonder, and this one succeeds!