Fusilier Marching to the left 1909

This sketch of a Fusilier Marching to the Left was made by Ferdinand Hodler in 1907, probably with graphite on paper. What strikes me first is the economy of line and how Hodler conveys so much with what appears to be so little. The whole image feels like it's caught in a moment. The marks are light and scratchy, searching. Hodler seems to be mapping out the figure’s form, especially around the head and shoulders, with these delicate, layered lines. Look at the way the light falls – or doesn't fall – on the figure; the whole thing has a ghostly feel to it. This is about the raw energy of the line, the kind of directness that feels really alive. It reminds me of some of Picasso’s early sketches, where you see him working through ideas, almost thinking aloud on paper. Art isn't about answers but about the process of inquiry.