Et par kalve på "Fladen", Saltholm 1908

Theodor Philipsen made this drawing of some cows on Saltholm with ink on paper. Look at the scratchy marks, the way he uses simple lines to build up the forms. I love how he makes no attempt to hide the process of drawing, every mark is left visible, and nothing is blended or smoothed out. The texture is especially interesting, with the dense hatching on the cows contrasted against the lighter, sketchier lines of the landscape. Notice the way he uses horizontal lines to suggest the flatness of the field. He captures the feeling of a wide-open space, so you can almost feel the wind blowing across the plain. Then look at the area right in the foreground, those tangled marks, suggesting some kind of vague plantlife – that’s process for you, he’s interested in the whole picture. This focus on the process feels very modern. It reminds me of the drawings of Van Gogh. Neither artist is trying to create a perfect illusion, more to give you a sense of how they felt, what they saw and experienced.