Jordkloden 

Curator: What a stark and striking image! The artwork here is titled "Jordkloden," which translates to "The Globe" or "The Earth." It is a pen and ink drawing attributed to Theodor Severin Kittelsen. Editor: My immediate reaction is discomfort. The rendering feels almost brutal, the animal—is that a boar?— conveying a sense of vulnerability despite its bulk. Curator: Kittelsen often imbued his creatures with profound symbolism. The boar, in many Northern European traditions, is linked to concepts of courage and tenacity but also ignorance and hedonism. Considering the title, it invites reflection on humanity's relationship with the earth, perhaps critiquing our exploitation. Editor: The raw quality of the lines adds to that feeling. Look at how they carve out the form, creating texture but also an almost violent contrast of light and shadow. There's minimal shading; the form relies solely on hatching and the varying weight of the lines. Curator: That intense linework enhances the symbolic weight. The boar is an earthbound creature, rooting in the soil, connected to primal energies. The way Kittelsen renders its coarse hair and prominent snout—almost burrowing into the ground—underscores this connection, or perhaps an entrapment. The image might suggest our own earthbound nature and moral shortcomings. Editor: The composition is stark. The pig almost seems to take up the entire image plane, the thin line underneath for grass indicating that is it on earth. Perhaps he is making commentary about humanities presence, similar to taking up as much as they possibly can? Curator: It could represent an inescapable burden too. Think of the phrase "earthbound spirits"— beings tethered to the physical realm, unable to transcend their material existence. The drawing itself looks as though Kittelsen executed it rapidly and on location. There is a clear indication of the subject in this piece! Editor: What lingers for me is the artist’s choice of such coarse and almost violent mark-making. Each line seems loaded with an almost visceral intention to define form at the sacrifice of comfort or charm. Ultimately the pig feels trapped, both within the landscape but also the artistic process. Curator: A compelling interpretation. Kittelsen uses an unflinching symbolic register to examine our bond with nature, which can be insightful, even unsettling.