Studie af liggende hind. En hånd griber den om mulen 1898

Joakim Skovgaard made this study of a reclining deer with pen and watercolour around 1898. The image presents a tension between control and vulnerability. A hand firmly grasps the animal's snout, while the deer lies prone and seemingly helpless. Skovgaard was working in Denmark at a time when artists were deeply engaged with questions of national identity and the role of art in shaping it. Consider the cultural context: Denmark, like other European nations, was undergoing rapid modernization and grappling with its place in a changing world. Artists often turned to the natural world for inspiration, seeking to capture the essence of the Danish landscape and its people. Skovgaard, along with other artists, contributed to the construction of a national mythology. By studying sketches like this one, and the practices of artists in his circle, we gain a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between art, identity, and the natural world.