Illustration til digt af Erik Bøgh 1855

Curator: Well, what do we have here? “Illustration til digt af Erik Bøgh,” dating back to 1855, created by Carl Bøgh. It's a print, seemingly an engraving, that lives at the Statens Museum for Kunst. It's all lines, thin and scratchy, bringing a wry scene to life. Editor: Hmm, it has the distinct feeling of a wicked chuckle caught on paper. The way the scene is bordered with devils and tippling makes me think someone’s making light of something serious. Curator: Spot on! The devilish border and the town square background—it all adds to the genre-painting feel. Then we have that line of text right there – “Nej - du har spillet Kort endda!” with the donkey nearby, so there must be a moral. Editor: I see it – a figure in the foreground inspecting a card, a sad donkey in the foreground… the symbolism hits you right away, like an arrow! Are we witnessing some sly social commentary wrapped up in these playful caricatures? Curator: Quite possibly. Bögh loved satire. You know how he mixed art with writing and theatricals – I believe all are at play here. Look closely at the main figure – almost like a jovial drunkard assessing his "hand" in life as his ass, a symbol of stubborn foolishness, cries nearby. Editor: It makes you wonder, doesn't it? Who’s getting the last laugh – the devil, or the guy seemingly ruined at cards? Or the artist? Is the viewer meant to recognize their role in this moral tale? Curator: It makes the imagination take off in flights of fancy, that's for sure. One man’s foolish pride leading to a donkey’s despair. Such is life – the illustration itself almost serves as a reminder that such dark truths lie under all the merriment. Editor: Agreed. It makes you pause and reconsider where we are on our personal 'road' to perdition. And wonder who gets to decide who are asses are led astray? Curator: True, maybe even Bögh is asking himself what "card" he himself was playing. But the light touch softens the sting. Now I think I might get a drink!