Liggende zebu 1920

Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita made this "Liggende zebu" etching in an unknown year. It's all about the line. How a simple contour can define form, suggest weight, and even evoke emotion. It reminds me of when I start a painting, just letting the line wander and discover the shape, not forcing anything. The light, almost ghostly, presence of the zebu against the subtle texture of the paper gives it a quiet, contemplative feel. You can almost feel the animal's gentle breathing. Look at how the line thickens and thins, suggesting shadow and volume without ever becoming heavy-handed. It’s like a whisper, a secret shared between the artist and the viewer. This kind of confident simplicity is what I always aspire to in my own work. It makes me think of Matisse's drawings, that same sense of capturing the essence of something with the fewest possible marks. Ultimately, it's a reminder that art isn't about showing off technique, it's about seeing and feeling.