Amadeo and Manuel Laranjeiro 1906

Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso made this pen and ink drawing called Amadeo and Manuel Laranjeiro sometime around the 1900s. The way Souza-Cardoso sketches these figures reminds me of process, a kind of action. In a simple line, he manages to show movement and personality through the use of detail, line quality, and form. Look at the front character’s face, the dark heavy eyebrows and sharp mouth, it makes him look like he's concentrating hard, leaning into the bike and really pushing. Then look at the back, the other character is wild, the fur of his collar becomes a mane. The two exist, joined together in the act of being on this bike. Souza-Cardoso feels like a kindred spirit. Like Picabia or Duchamp, he was interested in exploring lots of different styles and approaches. I see a hint of futurism in this work which feels in keeping with his wish to capture the chaotic and changing world he lived in. For me, art is always about this kind of conversation.