Hesten og føllet 1843

Johan Thomas Lundbye made this drawing of a mare and foal using pen and ink. It is now located at the SMK here in Copenhagen. Lundbye was part of the Danish Golden Age, a time of national romanticism. As such, his drawings frequently focused on the Danish landscape and the animals within it. But this wasn't some straightforward depiction of nature. Instead, it was deeply shaped by the political and cultural climate of Denmark in the early 19th century. After the Napoleonic Wars, Denmark experienced a surge of national pride and a need to define its cultural identity. Artists played a crucial role, often depicting the natural world as a reflection of the nation's soul. Lundbye's choice to depict horses, animals closely tied to rural life and agriculture, resonates with these nationalistic sentiments. To understand this work further, we need to consider the era's artistic conventions and cultural values. Research into Danish Golden Age art, the national-romantic movement, and the role of animals in art would shed more light on its meaning and purpose.