Landskab med liggende og stående køer 1904

Theodor Philipsen made this landscape with cows using graphite on paper. You might think of drawing as a basic, almost throwaway skill, something everyone learns in childhood. But in the hands of a master like Philipsen, it becomes something more. Look at the economy of the marks he makes. There’s no shading or modeling here, just a confident bounding line, with a few interior details dashed in for good measure. The paper itself does so much of the work, suggesting the hazy atmosphere of the Danish countryside. Consider the artistic labor involved. It is a skill acquired through patient practice and constant observation. The sketch gives us a sense of the artist's intimate connection to the land and the animals that inhabit it. So next time you pick up a pencil, remember Philipsen’s drawing. It stands as a testament to the expressive potential of this most humble and accessible of materials.