Landscape. Stebliv (?) 1956

This landscape was drawn by Hryhorii Havrylenko with what looks like black ink on paper. It’s a scene captured with economy, but that also feels lush. I can almost imagine Havrylenko standing in a field, squinting at the horizon, his hand moving quickly to capture the essence of what he sees. What was it like to be him in that moment? What was he thinking? Was he happy? Worried? Focused on work? The marks are confident and direct, defining forms with the barest of means. Look how the undulating lines create the rolling hills, and the little hatching that fills in the trees, evoking their density. The clouds are just a few simple strokes, but they float in the sky above. It’s so simple, but it really conveys a sense of place, a mood, and the artist’s own feeling. I am always interested in how drawings describe place. It is a feeling that artists have been exploring for centuries and will continue to explore, each learning from the other.