Bewakers te paard c. 1929

Jean-Louis Boussingault drew 'Bewakers te paard' with a pen, and it looks like he worked fast! Look at these horses and riders! They are rendered with such lightness, almost sketched as apparitions. I feel like Boussingault was trying to capture the essence of the scene in one go; the confidence and certainty of the lines create a feeling of movement and energy, like a fleeting moment captured on paper. The simplicity of the lines is almost deceptive; they convey a sense of form and space without filling in all the details. It reminds me of some of the early modernist sketches, where artists were exploring ways to suggest rather than represent. I wonder if Boussingault was interested in the work of his contemporaries, or if this was more of a personal, intuitive exploration. I love that the artist leaves much unsaid. It shows how sometimes the sketchiest of lines can tell a story.