Arbeiter in Lodz schieben eine Karre 1915

Reinhard Pfaehler von Othegraven made this drawing of workers in Lodz in 1905. It's like a snapshot, but one that's really worked over with layers of charcoal and chalk. You can almost feel the weight these figures are pushing against. Look at the wheel, it's not just round, it's got guts, built up with strokes that make it feel solid. The whole thing feels kind of smeared and smudged, like the artist was fighting with the image, trying to get at something real. The color is restrained, almost monochromatic, just a few shades of gray and beige, but that makes the composition dynamic and urgent. It reminds me of Käthe Kollwitz, but with a rougher edge. It's not pretty, but it's powerful, a testament to the struggle and hardship of everyday life. Art isn't about perfection; it's about feeling and seeing in new ways.