Musicians (Arab and Negro) 1928

Zinaida Serebriakova made this drawing of two musicians in Morocco. The artist conjures a scene of simple pleasures with a minimal amount of marks and lines. She's really capturing a moment, you know? I imagine her sitting on a stool, rapidly sketching these guys in a bar. The drawing is so fresh and loose. See how the blue, red and yellow pastel creates the shading and form? It is like she's not trying to be perfect but instead allows the materials to dictate the outcome. She is inspired by the moment and what she sees. Maybe she felt a connection with the music they were playing? Or perhaps, she liked the play of light and shadow on their faces? Artists, we’re all magpies, stealing little bits from each other across time. Ultimately, we just want to make something beautiful and meaningful, right? We see art as a record of that human journey.