Aktæons død 1925 - 1926

Joakim Skovgaard made this drawing, Aktæons død, with ink on paper. I can see the artist mapping out the scene with pencil beforehand. It's got a tight composition, a dark background, and the figures are all interwoven—Actaeon becoming a stag, his hounds, and Diana, all swirling in this moment of transformation. I feel for Skovgaard here, picturing him mapping the composition, trying to get all the figures to fit, wrestling with the narrative, using the grisaille palette to create a sense of drama. I wonder if he had to rework certain areas to get the figures just right, or if he struggled with the anatomy of the dogs. Did he think about the old masters or the other Nordic painters who were exploring similar themes? It all makes me think about how artists are always in conversation with each other. Skovgaard is looking back to mythology and the Renaissance, while also pushing forward with his own vision. And now, we're here, looking at his work, adding our own interpretations to the mix.