Træer ved en indsø 1908

Cilius Johannes Konrad Andersen created this etching titled “Trees by a Lakeside” sometime before 1913. Andersen lived during a time of immense social change, as industrialization swept across Europe, uprooting traditional ways of life. In this print, we see figures by the water underneath a crescent moon, perhaps alluding to new beginnings and cycles of change. The two figures seem to be of different social classes, one is working on the boat and the other is standing upright next to it. This juxtaposition raises questions about labor, and the hierarchy of society. Andersen does not seem to be making a judgement; instead, he poses a question about how we are living, and how these social changes are affecting us all. In this quiet, personal reflection, Andersen offers a space to consider our place within a rapidly changing world.