Tyren nærmer sig 1855 - 1912

Curator: "Tyren nærmer sig," or "The Bull is Approaching," a graphite and charcoal drawing by Theodor Philipsen, invites us into a rural scene. It was created sometime between 1855 and 1912 and currently resides here at the SMK, the Statens Museum for Kunst. What are your first impressions? Editor: Honestly? I feel the quiet of the Danish countryside. It’s grey, yes, almost monochromatic, but it’s also like stepping into a memory, a dream of a summer afternoon. The cows, especially the one drinking, seem so tangible. Curator: The seemingly simple, almost mundane subject matter actually speaks volumes. We have to consider the context of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, where industrialization was rapidly changing landscapes and lifestyles. Editor: Absolutely! It's like Philipsen is clinging to this pastoral vision. The sketchy quality, those loose lines... it’s not just a cow, it's a feeling. Did Philipsen spend much time around cows do you think? He clearly understood the animals. Curator: Indeed. Philipsen, influenced by Impressionism and Realism, aimed to capture fleeting moments of light and atmosphere, and rural everyday life. By focusing on working-class lives and nature, he’s subtly critiquing the social and environmental upheavals of the period. It acknowledges labor without glorifying it, depicts nature without romanticizing it. Editor: See, I love that you bring up the socio-political side. I look at it, and I think about the inherent connection to nature, how it grounds us and sustains us all at once. Those cows aren’t just background scenery; they are central to survival, to community. Maybe he’s looking at how rapid urbanization has caused a severing from this bond with the land and its animals? Curator: Precisely! This seemingly simple pastoral image becomes a statement about human connection—and disconnection—with nature. Even the title implies something looming. Editor: Okay, I’m officially obsessed now! This isn’t just a nice picture of some cows. It is an open ended question. What does that approaching bull represent for us now? Curator: Right. "The Bull is Approaching" offers us the possibility for self-reflection. Editor: I am glad we considered the possibilities in this image.