Horse thieves 1918

Alexander Soldenhoff made this drawing, "Horse Thieves", with ink on paper, and the way he's worked is so immediate. It's all about the gesture, the quick flicks of the wrist, the pure physicality of mark-making. Look at that horse rearing up! See how Soldenhoff captures the animal's panic with just a few strokes? It's not about detail, it's about feeling, about the process of trying to catch that wild energy. The ink is thin, almost watery in places, and then pooling in others, creating depth and shadow with such economy. The whole thing feels so alive, like a captured moment of chaos. For me, it recalls some of the gestural energy you see in Delacroix, that same interest in the drama of movement and emotion, and how you can convey so much with so little. It’s a reminder that art isn't about perfect representation, it's about the conversation between the artist, the material, and the viewer.