Market with their camels. Marrakesh 1932

Zinaida Serebriakova made this pastel drawing of a Marrakesh market in 1932. I can imagine her there, surrounded by the hubbub and the colors of the market, her hand quickly capturing the scene. The drawing is alive with movement. Blue, brown, and white strokes conjure figures and camels, all rendered with a quick, impressionistic touch. The pastel is applied in layers, building up a hazy atmosphere, like a memory of a bustling place. I wonder what she was thinking as she sketched this. Did she feel a connection to the people and animals around her? Was she searching for a way to capture the essence of this exotic place? The way she uses color and line reminds me a little of Degas's pastels – a fleeting moment captured with incredible skill. Artists are always in conversation, borrowing and building on each other's ideas. And in the end, it’s the energy of the artist that speaks to us, their particular way of seeing and feeling the world.