En træbevokset kæmpehøj med indgang til gravkammer 1840

Dankvart Dreyer made this drawing of a wooded burial mound with pen and ink. The marks on the paper are incredibly direct, as the artist used these to communicate the scene before him, and share with us what he saw in that moment. In Dreyer's time, the mid-19th century, the ready-made art supply industry was already well underway. High quality paper and inks would have been available to him, due to the rise of industrial capitalism and the commodification of art. Here, the cultural significance lies in the mark-making. The tools he used, and the time he took, reveal the importance of 'en plein air' sketching and the practice of drawing from life. It's a lasting testimony to the value Dreyer placed on this tradition, at a time when the pace of life was beginning to accelerate. This work provides a window into both the landscape and the artist's practice.