Vandingsscener, forskellige skitser 1868

Theodor Philipsen rendered these Vandingsscener, forskellige skitser, or Watering Scenes, Various Sketches, with ink on paper. Philipsen fragments the scenes into distinct compositional spaces. Consider the upper scene, where fluid lines depict horses and cattle congregating at water's edge. The use of hatching animates the figures, endowing them with a sense of volume, despite the absence of color. This is contrasted by the lower register's preliminary sketches, which lack the same level of finish. This juxtaposition serves to highlight the stages of artistic development, a kind of visual deconstruction of the completed image. By displaying these varied stages, Philipsen challenges our perception, suggesting that the artistic process is equally, if not more, compelling than the final product. This method asks us to consider the intrinsic value of the incomplete, thus enriching our aesthetic understanding.