Fra Trommesalen 1873 - 1881

Curator: So, tell me, what’s your first reaction to this print? Editor: Hmm, it's sort of pastoral, you know? Quiet, farm-like. Makes me think of simpler times. Something very…contained about it too. Curator: That's interesting. The artwork is called "Fra Trommesalen", which roughly translates to "From the Drum Room" or "From the Round Dance Hall." It was created by Waldemar Bøhme between 1873 and 1881. You can see it at the SMK, the National Gallery of Denmark. Editor: Oh, wow. That’s… unexpectedly evocative, that title, when you put it next to the image itself. "Round Dance Hall." And it is just sheep and cows being shepherded into a pen! The contrast is… fascinating. But, the "simpler times" feeling makes more sense given the timeframe, I guess. Curator: Yes, Bøhme was working in a realist style, so we see a focus on depicting everyday life accurately. Look at the level of detail he achieves with etching – the textures of the animals’ wool and hides, the rough wood of the pen. There is a lot going on here. What I appreciate most, and why it stood out for this exhibition, is how effectively Bøhme creates a dynamic composition, filled with life, within a very constrained, almost claustrophobic, space. Editor: You're right, the detail is impressive. And I see the dynamic composition. The arrangement, the diagonals and lines. How the artist is ever-so-slightly guiding them forward to some future, a path. It's subtle but there! The man’s touch is the visual and narrative fulcrum. The etching almost tricks your mind, into thinking that some "grand statement" is about to be made here in this arena – where animals are moved around...it's more of an honest depiction of agriculture. Curator: It's a testament to Bøhme’s skill, creating intimacy, quiet drama and movement using relatively simple means. I like to think about why it's at the SMK; it says so much about Danish life during that period. What sort of conversations might've occurred about Bøhme's subject, the composition, and the way it sits perfectly, in our collection. Editor: For me, the artwork leaves me pondering. The seeming mundanity, that quiet contained power, that simple story; and what "Round Dance Hall" means at the intersection of all that. So, thank you; an unexpected moment with these penned animals, from the real to the representative and back again.