Two Bareback Circus Riders c. 1930

Pavel Tchelitchew made this drawing of bareback circus riders at an unknown date, using brown ink on paper. I can just picture him, in the moment, trying to capture the movement and energy of these performers. Look at the way the ink washes across the page, creating these fluid lines that suggest form and motion. It's like he’s trying to catch a fleeting moment, the horses rearing up, the riders balanced precariously. You can almost feel the adrenaline, the daring of the circus, right? There’s a real freedom in the brushstrokes, a sense of spontaneity. It reminds me of other artists like Degas, who were also fascinated by capturing movement, whether it was dancers or horses. It makes you think about how artists are always looking at each other, borrowing ideas, and pushing the boundaries of what drawing can do. It’s a conversation across time, a way of seeing and feeling the world.