Bonde, der sidder og sover 1743 - 1809

Nicolai Abildgaard created this pen and brown ink drawing, "Bonde, der sidder og sover," which translates to "Farmer Sitting and Sleeping," sometime in the late 18th century. The drawing's strength lies in its efficient use of line. With swift strokes, Abildgaard captures the slumped posture of the sleeping farmer, his head resting heavily on his arm. The ink bleeds slightly into the paper, giving a soft, almost dreamlike quality to the scene. This was not a fancy drawing created with expensive materials, but rather an everyday scene captured with readily available materials. The drawing’s power comes from its raw simplicity, and the focus on the weariness of labor. The artist emphasizes the human cost of agricultural work. It asks us to consider the social conditions that lead to such exhaustion, and to recognize the value of rest. It collapses any assumed distance between fine art and the lives of ordinary people.