Zeichnung zur Fibel_ Drache c. 1905

Hans Thoma made this drawing, entitled *Zeichnung zur Fibel_ Drache*, with ink on paper. Look at that kite way up high! I bet it took a few tries to get it up there. Maybe a gust of wind came along at just the right moment to lift it up, up, up. I wonder if Thoma liked to fly kites as a kid? This drawing feels like it could be from his own childhood memories. That little dog looks so happy, jumping and barking, enjoying the freedom of the open field. There's a feeling of joyful abandon here. The clouds are all scumbled in, creating a beautiful sense of atmospheric depth. I love the little details, like the figures in the distance riding in a horse-drawn carriage. It’s like time stands still, yet everything is in motion. Drawing is such a simple and direct medium, but it can be so expressive.