Shoeing

Curator: Landseer's "Shoeing", here at the Tate, presents a slice of rural life through the careful oil rendering of animals and a blacksmith at work. It measures a sizable 1422 by 1118 mm. Editor: The composition has a very Victorian sentimentality, doesn't it? A very idealized image of labor and animal companionship. Curator: Landseer's animal paintings were incredibly popular. He tapped into the rising middle class's sentimental view of the countryside and its inhabitants. Note the hierarchy, though: the horse is noble, the donkey more humble. Editor: And the subservient dog! I think we need to address how these images reflect Victorian attitudes toward class and the natural world. Curator: Absolutely. Landseer was celebrated, even knighted, but today we can analyze how his art reinforced social structures. Editor: It’s a powerful reminder that what was once admired can be interrogated through the lenses of today.