Kampen om Dragespringvandet 1904

Editor: This is "The Battle for the Dragon Fountain" by Joakim Skovgaard, created around 1904 using pencil. It's quite a striking sketch, full of mythological creatures circling a fountain. There's a tension, a sort of standoff... What do you see in this piece? Curator: What I find compelling here is Skovgaard’s engagement with national identity through symbolism. Consider the dragon, a powerful symbol appropriated by many cultures, including Denmark, albeit often through tales of taming or overcoming them. The "battle" suggests a society wrestling with its own self-image. What happens when you put this artwork within that specific historical and cultural context? Editor: I hadn’t considered it in that way, but I suppose the presence of so many mythical beasts, all surrounding this fountain, implies an internal struggle. A bull, dragons... the fountain itself as a symbol of Danish power? Curator: Precisely. Fountains are, historically, demonstrations of control over nature and resources, especially water. Now think about the period, turn-of-the-century Denmark, a time of social and political upheaval, searching for a sense of itself within Europe and challenged from outside by growing powers. What might these clashing figures, vying for space around the fountain, represent in that broader socio-political struggle? Who holds the power? Who's being kept out of accessing it? Editor: I see your point. It is not a simple celebratory fountain. The drawing suggests more of a contested space, each figure vying for dominance. Thanks! Curator: Indeed! It's in this negotiation of power dynamics where the work really resonates, prompting us to consider not just the symbols themselves, but their interactions within a specific socio-historical framework.