Les P 1936

Louis Soutter made this drawing, called 'Les P', on paper, with graphite, in Switzerland. It’s all done with a kind of feverish energy, these almost scribbled lines that define figures in a compressed space. I can imagine Soutter hovering over the page, possessed somehow, his hand scrawling with such directness, such urgency. The marks feel compulsive. Look at the face in the center – that gaze! Is it a look of longing, or despair? Or is it a bit of both? See those splotches of ink, almost like tears staining the surface. The artist seems to be channeling something raw, unfiltered. It reminds me of other outsider artists who worked in isolation, driven by their own inner visions. Like, what does it mean to be so outside, so compelled to make something, anything? This drawing isn't so much about depicting something real, but about the act of expression itself. Soutter’s work shows how artists are in a constant dialogue, inspiring each other across time. It’s a kind of beautiful conversation, this messy, imperfect, human exchange.