Liggende ged 1802 - 1851

Curator: Immediately, there's something pastoral and almost humorous about this scene, wouldn’t you agree? A nonchalant laziness radiating from that central figure... Editor: This is "Liggende ged," which translates to "Reclining Goat," made sometime between 1802 and 1851 by Benjamin Phelps Gibbon. The work we're observing is an etching printed with ink, housed right here at the SMK. And that languid pose definitely sets a mood, doesn't it? But tell me, what symbols might we find beyond the humor? Curator: Well, the goat itself has a wonderfully split personality, culturally. In some traditions, it represents virility and stubbornness. I’m wondering if Gibbon is exploring something deeper, that inherent contradiction within nature itself, even within a seemingly harmless farm animal. Editor: Exactly! Goats are also historically associated with the Dionysian, with wild abandon. But here, that tension is deliberately muted, almost domestic, confined within those fine, deliberate etched lines. Do you notice that another goat grazes peacefully in the background, further adding to that image of subdued rustic harmony? Curator: Yes, and even the landscape seems contained, carefully observed. Not the wild, sublime landscapes that were so fashionable during that period, but something quieter, more personal. Almost like Gibbon is whispering secrets about the relationship between animals and the land. Editor: Perhaps, or it might also echo the wider societal shifts—the move away from idealized romanticism towards a burgeoning realism. It’s interesting how he uses line work to create texture; the fur practically vibrates with life! What emotional residue might an ordinary creature, rendered so meticulously, provoke? Curator: The texture almost makes me itch, and yet the composure draws me in. It’s a domestic creature imbued with wild textures; a familiar, gentle soul resting peacefully on Earth. I appreciate the small size too, it draws us close. A tiny world holding so much. Editor: A fitting piece for contemplating contrasts – chaos and composure; freedom and constraint; laughter and something much darker lurking beneath. Curator: A small story in a big world, wouldn’t you say? Editor: Indeed; now where to next?