Herd of goats with herder 

August Lucas created this pencil drawing, "Herd of Goats with Herder," now held in the Städel Museum. The eye is immediately drawn to the left side of the image, where the herder and a tight cluster of goats are defined by darker, more confident lines. This careful grouping contrasts with the looser, more fragmented sketches of goats scattered across the rest of the page. The composition isn't just a record of observation, but a study in representation. The clustered goats suggest movement and collective energy, while the isolated sketches explore form and posture. Lucas seems to be dissecting the idea of "goat-ness," playing with how much detail is needed to convey the essence of the animal. Consider how Lucas uses line weight to create a visual hierarchy, drawing our focus, then allowing our eyes to wander and complete the image for ourselves. This interactive quality suggests a fluidity of meaning, an understanding that art is not just about what is shown, but how it invites us to participate in its creation.