De to heste 1845

Adolph Kittendorff made this drawing of two horses using pen and ink. The relatively simple materials belie the artist’s skill. Notice the fine linework, especially the ways he uses hatching and cross-hatching to build up tonal variation and suggest form. This is a traditional technique, going all the way back to the Renaissance. But Kittendorff is working in a modern context. He doesn’t seem interested in idealizing these animals, instead, he renders them in a straightforward, almost documentary way. The drawing possesses a kind of casual intimacy, as the two horses nuzzle. Consider, too, that the Industrial Revolution, then in full swing, depended on animal labor. Horses were essential to transport goods and people. So, while this drawing is a work of art, it also reflects the economic and social realities of its time. It reminds us that even the simplest materials can be used to create powerful statements about the world around us, blurring the lines between art, craft, and social commentary.