Aftenstunden 1845

This sensitive etching, *Aftenstunden*, was rendered by Adolph Kittendorff in the 19th Century. It captures a scene of rural life in which labor, nature, and domesticity entwine. Note the plowman with his oxen, a motif that dates back to antiquity, seen in the myth of ploughing with a bull. The act of ploughing—breaking the earth— is an ancient symbol of renewal, the vital act of preparing for new life. Consider the figure's pose, head tilted slightly upwards. This reminds us of depictions of ecstasy, as seen in religious paintings of the period. Such enduring motifs reveal how deeply the human experience is intertwined with the rhythms of nature and labor. Through Kittendorff's rendering, the plowman transcends the temporal realm, resonating with primal, universally understood gestures of renewal.