Aktæons død 1925 - 1926

Joakim Skovgaard made this drawing of Aktæons død with ink on paper, but we don’t know when exactly. It’s an interesting scene to choose, the death of Actaeon, because you can really let loose on the dog imagery, and Skovgaard does just that. The animals are really what grab my attention. There’s a real contrast between the solid black background and the frantic white figures of the dogs and humans. It’s stark, creating a high contrast image that jumps right out at you. Look at how the ink washes pool in places, creating depth and shadow. The artist leaves the figures as outlines, making them pop against the dark background. It almost looks like a woodcut, with the way the black ink defines the space. This reminds me of Paula Modersohn-Becker’s drawings, with their simple forms and bold lines. Ultimately, both artists show us that sometimes, less really is more.