Cracow peasant sitting in a chair 1901

Leon Wyczółkowski made this drawing of a peasant in Cracow with what looks like pastels or crayons. There’s a freedom in the strokes, a sense of immediacy, like the artist was trying to capture a fleeting moment, or maybe a feeling. I’m drawn to the way Wyczółkowski uses color – these blues, reds, and blacks layered loosely, almost like a map of the figure rather than a precise rendering. The texture of the paper peeks through, adding another layer to the story. Look at the way he’s handled the man’s hat, it's all blocks of colour, as if the man is lit by a single lightsource, creating a kind of graphic, almost cartoonish effect. It reminds me a little of Daumier, in the way it captures a certain social reality, but with a softer, more personal touch. What I like about this is the way it embraces the sketchiness. It’s not about perfection, but about the energy and life of the moment.