The Woodman 1910

Ferdinand Hodler made this painting, The Woodman, using what looks like fairly thin oil paint. I love the energy here, it's like you can feel the thwack of the axe, am I right? Hodler really gets into the physical, repetitive movement; a blue-collar job. I can imagine him watching, thinking about all that strength, that sweat, and how to capture it. Maybe he even had a go at chopping wood himself... The composition is really interesting. It's almost symmetrical, with those vertical posts framing the figure. The colors are earthy, but there's a vibrancy in the green and the flesh tones. It makes me think of Courbet, but with a slightly different vibe. Like a romantic, but maybe Hodler’s trying to make a statement about labor, or the connection between man and nature. I think he's onto something, and it still resonates today.