Paard 1873 - 1932

This drawing of a horse was made by Wilhelmus Johannes Steenhoff using chalk on paper. It’s tempting to overlook drawings like this, but I think that would be a mistake. The quick lines and sketchy quality tell us a lot about the artist’s process. Steenhoff isn’t trying to create a perfect, idealized image of a horse. Instead, he’s capturing a fleeting moment, the essence of the animal’s form and posture. The chalk medium lends itself to this kind of immediacy, allowing the artist to quickly build up the image with layers of shading and texture. It is also worth thinking about the social context. Steenhoff’s horse is clearly a working animal, equipped with a harness, its depiction alludes to the vital role horses played in labor and transportation at this time. So, next time you see a drawing like this, take a moment to appreciate the artist's skill, and think about the historical context that shaped the artwork.