Blære Bonde pløjer jord 1925

Editor: This is Niels Skovgaard’s “Blære Bonde pløjer jord,” an ink drawing from 1925. The humor of the composition strikes me. The farmer on top of what appears to be a team of swine elicits a slightly absurd sensation. What do you make of the piece? Curator: Focusing solely on the internal elements, the dynamism of line is immediately apparent. Observe the undulating lines used to create both depth and motion across the picture plane. What is achieved through Skovgaard’s decision to employ exclusively monochrome, calligraphic line? Editor: It gives a very raw, unfiltered quality to the work. Is there a specific relationship at play between the farmer and swine in this piece? Curator: Consider first how the linear strokes define form, contour, and even texture; there is both implied tonal variation, and a consistent rhythm in mark-making. Given its internal components alone, would we say the work succeeds if the subjects had instead been horses? Editor: Perhaps not, actually! The roughness in the rendering reflects back to the unruly nature of swine. And, in contrast, if it were horses, then the chosen linearity might have appeared overly coarse or elementary. Curator: Precisely. Skovgaard, then, clearly understands the structural unity needed to convey narrative effectively. Ultimately, though, what do you conclude after reconsidering the formal components and how they come to communicate to viewers? Editor: It shows how the simplest compositional elements, expertly rendered, combine to deliver an insightful reading into a specific moment, regardless of outside contexts. Thank you, that makes a lot of sense. Curator: My pleasure. These types of works always invite sustained, rewarding reflection on our engagement with purely formal methods.