Cracow peasant sitting in a chair 1901

Here's an image by Leon Wyczółkowski of a peasant sitting in a chair, made using colored chalks. The marks are loose and flowing, like he's trying to catch a feeling more than a perfect likeness. I imagine Wyczółkowski grabbing a stick of chalk, maybe smudging it with his thumb to get that hazy effect. He’s creating shadows in blues and reds to define the peasant's form, while the peach-toned paper peeks through like sunlight. Look at how the quick, looping lines suggest the curve of the chair – it’s all about capturing the essence of the scene. The more I look, the more I think about artists like Degas, who also loved pastels, and how they both tried to capture fleeting moments. It's like they're all part of this ongoing visual conversation, bouncing ideas and techniques off each other, across time.