#12234 Rafael De Penagos

The drawing presents a figure on horseback against a stark white background, rendered in a limited palette of reddish-brown and black outlines. The composition is dominated by a sense of movement and melancholy.
Here we see a man seated atop a horse, his posture suggesting weariness or introspection. He holds a bottle in one hand and a lit cigarette in the other, seemingly lost in thought. His head is tilted downwards, obscuring much of his face, which contributes to an air of anonymity and detachment. The hat he wears is large and obscures further details, adding to this sense of mystery.
The horse appears equally subdued; its head hangs low, mirroring the man’s posture. Its not depicted with anatomical precision but rather as a simplified form, emphasizing its role as a vehicle for the rider’s journey.
Above them, several birds are sketched in flight, their forms appearing almost like fleeting thoughts or memories. They introduce an element of freedom and perhaps longing into the scene, contrasting with the groundedness of the man and his horse. The swirling lines that form the ground beneath the horse suggest a sense of instability or transition – a landscape not firmly defined but rather fluid and ephemeral.
The restricted color scheme reinforces the somber mood. The reddish-brown tones evoke feelings of earthiness, rust, and perhaps even decay, while the black outlines create a sharp contrast that emphasizes the figures’ isolation against the blank background.
Subtly, the drawing seems to explore themes of solitude, reflection, and the passage of time. The mans actions – smoking, drinking – suggest an attempt to find solace or escape from something unseen. The overall impression is one of quiet contemplation amidst a landscape that offers no easy answers.