Amazons on Horseback c. 1827

Editor: Here we have Pierre-Jean David d'Angers' "Amazons on Horseback," a drawing from the Harvard Art Museums. The rapid strokes give such a sense of movement. What compositional elements strike you as most significant? Curator: Observe how the artist uses line to create a sense of dynamism. The overlapping forms of the horses and riders create a complex spatial arrangement, yet the overall composition remains legible. Note the strategic use of hatching and cross-hatching to suggest volume and texture. Editor: It’s interesting how the details are almost lost in the overall impression of motion. Curator: Precisely. The lack of precise detail encourages the viewer to focus on the broader formal relationships at play. Editor: I see now that focusing on line and form reveals so much about how the artwork conveys movement. Curator: Indeed. It is in the synthesis of these formal elements that the work achieves its expressive power.