I Sildetiden 1880s

Curator: This is "I Sildetiden" from the 1880s, a lithograph print by Adolph Kittendorff currently held at the SMK, the National Gallery of Denmark. Editor: The immediate impression I get is one of bustling activity. There’s a strong sense of the materials at play: wood, canvas, stone, and of course, the silvery fish. Curator: Yes, absolutely. The print depicts a fish market, focusing on the herring season, a crucial time for the economy and for the working-class women who primarily dealt with the sale of the catch. We can analyze the social dynamics reflected here, focusing on the gendered labor involved. Editor: Looking at the composition, I'm struck by how the artist captures the weight and the scale of labor involved here; the baskets overflowing with the product, the structures of the boats, the implied motion. Do we know more about how this lithograph would have been made, what labor was required for such work? Curator: It's not simply about documenting labor; it’s about representing and perhaps, celebrating, the contributions of these often overlooked women to society. The work invites a dialogue on gender and socio-economic realities, examining how these women negotiated their space and roles within the specific constraints of 19th-century Danish society. Editor: Examining the textures Kittendorff created here using the medium of lithography reveals incredible labor. It highlights that material conditions and productive means dictate how labor and life are formed. This goes far beyond simply portraying “genre-painting” as the inventory would claim. Curator: Indeed. Understanding the sociopolitical currents informs how we appreciate Kittendorff's approach. Did he intend to amplify their voices? Or was he simply mirroring the accepted gender roles of his era? Perhaps, in this work, Kittendorff presents a glimpse into the lives of the Danish working class, one that continues to spur conversations today. Editor: The interplay between material processes and their societal implications in "I Sildetiden" really gives insight into Danish economic practices, right down to the means of producing and selling. So much history can be revealed by close examination. Curator: Ultimately, viewing art through both lenses offers a much deeper connection with not just art, but with its cultural moment and its possible relationship with ours today.