Hønen og koen 1845

Curator: I find this unassuming work deeply charming. Adolph Kittendorff’s “Hønen og koen,” or “The Hen and the Cow,” completed in 1845, offers a quiet moment of rural life captured in ink, as both a drawing and lithograph. Editor: It's remarkable how such a simple scene evokes a sense of tranquility, almost a stillness. The subdued palette enhances the mood, suggesting perhaps the peace of the Danish countryside, though one wonders at the societal norms projected onto the barnyard duo. Curator: It’s interesting that you frame it in the light of projection. Gender, class and rurality absolutely played a role in the work of Romanticism and genre paintings. The artwork portrays two cows beside a watering trough, but one supports a hen resting calmly on its back. Are they working class symbols, domesticated for labour and the exploitation of nature, or something more? Editor: Absolutely. What stories are woven into these ostensibly idyllic scenes? How do they reinforce or subvert power structures within the social fabric of the time? Perhaps Kittendorff is commenting on rural symbiosis. Curator: Or a critique of agrarian exploitation? The image itself is composed with careful attention to detail, especially the contrast between the rough texture of the trough and the smooth hides of the animals. And look at that little detail of the hanging container—the care given to each element makes me believe in an ideological message. Editor: It raises the question of who is seeing who: Kittendorff seeing this quiet moment and trying to transcribe his feelings in the viewer. The use of a drawing converted to lithograph, feels in line with wider social forces at play at this time; industrialisation is taking over hand manufacture. The drawing allows Kittendorff control, which would be lost with more industrial processes. Curator: Indeed. It reminds us that seemingly straightforward representations can hold complex commentaries on society, class, and gender. The hen might appear passive, but she’s quite literally riding the system, isn’t she? Editor: Exactly! Reflecting on Kittendorff’s choice, I see echoes of contemporary discourse around animal rights. I appreciate its ability to engage both visually and intellectually. Curator: I am moved to ponder the ways even the simplest pastoral image encodes historical context, ideology and social realities.