Dansen i skoven 1870 - 1877

This print, "Dansen i skoven," or "Dance in the Forest", is an engraving of unknown date and origin, now held at the Statens Museum for Kunst. Engraving is an intaglio process: the artist carefully carves lines into a metal plate, then inks the whole surface. The ink is then wiped away, remaining only in the carved lines, and then the plate is pressed onto paper. The result is a precise, high-contrast image. In this case, the anonymous artist has used the technique to render a dramatic scene of a wolf and a bear locked in combat. What makes this print so striking is the sheer amount of labor involved in its production. Each line had to be individually cut, demanding immense skill and patience. The density of the engraving lends the scene a brooding, almost claustrophobic atmosphere. It reminds us that even mass-produced images have origins in processes of intense, skilled hand work. This piece challenges our notions of art, labor, and the value we assign to both.