Et sjællandsk hestemarked 1830s

August Plum’s “A Zealand Horse Market” was created using oil paints on canvas, a popular choice for artists since the early 15th century. Here, the artist evokes the bustling atmosphere of a horse market. Considering its materiality, this painting is inextricably linked to commerce, class, and labor. The pigments create a realistic depiction, while brushstrokes evoke the textures of horses' coats, clothing, and tents. Plum’s technique captures a fleeting moment of social exchange. Painting, like this one, played a vital role in representing and legitimizing social structures. The skilled labor involved in creating the painting mirrors the manual labor of the horse traders it depicts. Plum challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and craft by elevating everyday life and labor to the realm of high art, inviting us to reflect on the social context and material conditions that shape our world.