Partial watermark: shield (countermark) of MICHALLET; note: the sheet is 1/4 of a Royal-sized sheet of MICHALLET.
During the first half of the 1880s, Seurat produced nearly four hundred drawings using the textured paper and velvety Conté crayon seen in this early example. The contrast between the horse's silhouetted body and the surrounding exposed paper creates a radiant effect, exploiting the potential of the materials and reflecting the artist's interest in defining form through differences in tone and value. -- Exhibition Label, from "Drawn to Greatness: Master Drawings from the Thaw Collection"