Den dræbte and 1845

Curator: Here we have Adolph Kittendorff’s 1845 lithograph, "Den dræbte and," or "The Killed Duck," currently residing at the SMK, the Statens Museum for Kunst. Editor: What strikes me immediately is the poignancy of the scene. The delicate line work emphasizes the stark contrast between the lifeless mother duck and the clueless, vulnerable ducklings. Curator: Kittendorff captures a certain Romantic sensibility, wouldn’t you say? There’s an elegiac tone that acknowledges death as part of the cycle, set within an otherwise quite pastoral environment. The reeds in the background certainly enhance the tragic theme. Editor: I agree. But there’s something more than just pastoral elegy at play here. It feels almost like a social commentary, albeit a subtle one. In the 19th century, hunting imagery often alluded to social hierarchy and power. The vulnerability of these creatures… it speaks volumes. Curator: Intriguing. The image could easily be read as a microcosm of power relations in Danish society at the time. The ducklings almost echo motifs of innocence betrayed, wouldn’t you say? Editor: Absolutely. Consider the intended audience, too. Lithographs like this would have been relatively accessible. To place an image like this in homes—a silent commentary on societal vulnerabilities made all the more effective by its simplicity… Curator: It also brings up ideas around sacrifice. While it's simple hunting, in the cultural memory, a mother figure or caregiver brought to ruin becomes incredibly loaded with connotations. Think of the Virgin Mary with the dead Christ; a deeply embedded, widely recognizable visual paradigm is alluded to in this lithograph of a dead duck. Editor: It's astonishing how much visual language is packed into this seemingly straightforward composition. The placement of the mother—centered, but collapsed—creates this quiet, painful disruption within the frame, so you see this tragic event almost overtake the innocence of the new lives around her. Curator: Absolutely. Kittendorff crafted a truly potent visual experience. Editor: A perfect reminder of how art captures not just a scene, but also the pulse of its time, filtered through enduring human narratives.