Bondehus ved sø 1788 - 1860

Curator: Ah, here we have "Bondehus ved sø", or "Farmhouse by the Lake", a print that resides here at the SMK. It was created sometime between 1788 and 1860. This work showcases an intimate look into rural life during that period. The technique used here is engraving. Editor: It has an incredibly melancholic feel, almost like a still from a gothic novel. All that meticulously etched detail, those somber tones, really draw you into the scene. Did this period have any specific cultural events, any economic situation influencing the topic chosen? Curator: Certainly. Given the timeframe, Denmark experienced significant agricultural reforms that influenced the socio-economic conditions of rural communities. The focus was land ownership, shifting away from communal systems to individual farms, leading to changes in land use, labour practices, and social hierarchies. The shift could also impact how the landscape was depicted in art and culture, potentially reflecting the sense of loss or transformation of familiar ways of life. The materiality also points towards affordability of making the artwork accessible for a new buying class. Editor: It is interesting how those rural reforms appear to manifest in this image. I can appreciate how an individual farmhouse and a more structured sense of property takes center-stage as opposed to wild nature and wilderness. It really adds an unexpected weight to the simplicity. Curator: Exactly! The farmhouse isn’t merely a quaint scene; it's emblematic of shifting societal norms, of the individual carving out space and staking a claim to the land, as a subject fit for realism. The rise of the "everyday". Editor: To think, all of this weight, from just a simple etching, speaks volumes to a rural class, making a living in changing times. Who knew that such intricate lines could tell such tales? I will now see every landscape art I come across as a witness.