Grazend paard c. 1868s - 1878s

Jan Willem van Borselen made this drawing of a grazing horse with graphite. Note how Borselen uses line and shading to define the horse's form. The composition emphasizes the animal's posture, bent low in the act of feeding. The sketchiness of the lines suggests a fleeting moment captured, an impression rather than a detailed study. The lines vary in pressure, creating a sense of volume and texture, particularly in the horse's body and the surrounding grass. Consider the interplay between the defined and undefined areas. The horse is somewhat complete, while the surroundings are only suggested, creating a contrast between the particular and the general, the individual and its environment. This technique invites us to contemplate the relationship between the animal and its surroundings, the intersection of nature and artistic representation. The drawing challenges our perceptions, inviting us to complete the image with our imagination.