Den sidste voldmølle 1861 - 1935

Curator: This is "Den sidste voldmølle" which roughly translates to "The Last Rampart Mill." It’s an etching by Axel Holm. The etching, held here at the SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst, likely was created sometime between 1861 and 1935. Editor: Rampart...right. It gives off such a wistful feeling, doesn’t it? That lone windmill standing sentinel in a hushed landscape. The still water...it's a painting that feels like a memory, blurring at the edges. Curator: Definitely, a memory—and a public one too. These mills weren’t just picturesque; they were integral to Danish defense and commerce. Their decline reflected a shift in both military strategy and the means of economic production. Editor: Absolutely. The landscape is really dominated by that beautiful reflection in the water...that dark line bisecting reality, where the image of the mill almost asserts itself more strongly than the physical mill itself. Does it feel more permanent in the water? A memory captured and reflected onward? Curator: Interesting idea. We often view the late 19th century's landscapes as objective records of the environment. But this is a social commentary of lost military power. The mill transforms into a symbol of times gone by in service of more recent techniques, especially the rise of industrial society. Editor: Perhaps both are equally relevant? It makes you think of all the changes these spaces have been subject to across their life spans. Are we viewing the windmill at its finest moment...or does Holm want us to notice it just as it risks dereliction? Curator: Indeed, the political dimensions embedded in landscape are difficult to unravel, but perhaps that’s the point. By presenting us with this image, Holm encourages us to think about progress, history, and the future of Denmark in ways not just about technological efficiency but loss, reflection, or change in memory. Editor: Absolutely, that’s right. I will never see a lone windmill in a serene river quite the same way! A bit haunted, and yet still beautifully present.