New-Born Calf Trying to Stand Up 1909

Anne Marie Carl Nielsen's bronze sculpture captures a new-born calf in its wobbly, endearing struggle to stand. You can almost feel the give of the clay, the artist pushing and pulling, coaxing the form into being, trial, error, intuition… I imagine Nielsen watching, patiently observing the calf's awkward movements. What was she thinking as she worked? The sculpture is so small, so intimate. You can see every touch, every decision she made. Look at the texture of the bronze, the way it catches the light. The calf seems to be all elbows and knees, its body a series of tentative angles. It reminds me of Degas’ dancers, caught in a moment of in-betweenness. But there's also something ancient about it, like a Paleolithic cave painting, a direct connection to the animal world. Artists are always in conversation, aren’t they? Sharing ideas, inspiring each other. Nielsen's calf stands there, teetering, a monument to the beauty of imperfection, and a celebration of new beginnings.