Man and horse
ca. 1897
Fritz Boehle captures the rugged dignity of rural labor in this energetic sketch from around 1897. A bearded man leads a sturdy workhorse past a windmill, their forms defined by scratchy, rapid lines that give the scene a sense of wind and motion. Boehle was a German artist associated with Realism who championed 'Bauernmalerei' (peasant painting), seeking to honor the honest, hardworking farmer in an era of rapid industrialization. The graphic, almost woodcut-like quality of the drawing highlights his skill as a draftsman, focusing on the essential shapes of country life rather than fine details.