Kopie des Reiters nach Gustave Courbets _L'Hallali du Cerf_ 1882

This is Louis Eysen’s drawing after Gustave Courbet's painting, _L'Hallali du Cerf_, residing here at the Städel Museum. Immediately striking is the monochrome palette, rendered in delicate pencil strokes, giving the scene a sense of immediacy. The rearing horse and rider dominate the composition, conveying a dynamic tension. We see a study in contrasts; the rider cloaked in shadow, his features obscured, sits atop the pale horse caught in a moment of frantic energy. Lines of force are evident as the horse rears, its front hooves raised high, juxtaposed with the rider's composed posture. Eysen masterfully captures the essence of Courbet's original work, translating its painterly qualities into a graphic language. Consider how the use of line and shading not only define form but also evoke texture, from the horse's flowing mane to the rider's fur coat. This focus on materiality, typical of its time, invites us to reflect on how artists use medium and form to interpret and reinterpret the works of others.