An Elderly Man 1878 - 1920

This is a boxwood bust of an elderly man, carved by the Danish artist Peter Fyhn. The choice of material here is crucial. Wood has a warmth and organic quality which translates perfectly into skin. Look at the way Fyhn has used the grain to suggest the wrinkles around the eyes, the sag of the cheeks. A very different effect would have been achieved in marble or bronze. It is the intimate, handcrafted nature of carving that makes this bust so appealing. Consider, too, the techniques employed. Woodcarving is a slow, subtractive process, demanding patience and precision. Fyhn would have used a variety of tools – gouges, chisels, knives – each leaving its own subtle mark on the surface. This is not the slick finish we associate with industrial production, but something altogether more human and personal. In this work, Fyhn has elevated wood carving, a traditional craft, to the realm of fine art. In doing so, he challenges our assumptions about what constitutes "high" art and what does not.