Bondehus ved skoven 1861 - 1935

Curator: Standing before us, we have "Bondehus ved skoven" – that translates to "Farmhouse by the Forest"— an etching by Axel Holm, thought to have been created sometime between 1861 and 1935. It's currently held here at the SMK, the National Gallery of Denmark. Editor: Gosh, it has a wonderful cozy and brooding vibe, doesn't it? I just want to wrap myself up in a blanket and sit by a fire looking at this...The deep forest looming there really draws you in. Curator: That interplay of light and dark is certainly striking. Holm really masterfully uses the etching technique to capture the rural atmosphere. One can consider the etching medium as a way for an artist to create accessible images in an industrializing era, circulating images to new audiences. Editor: Definitely. And the level of detail he achieves with just etching! Look at the thatched roof of the farmhouse— you can practically feel the texture. It reminds me of walking through the Danish countryside, you almost expect a scent of woodsmoke to waft up. Though it certainly leans towards a romanticized view of country life, don't you think? Curator: Yes, that's undeniable. The picturesque qualities overshadow the harsh realities of rural existence, that’s true, but, still, there’s something powerful about it. These genre paintings become cultural objects, showing a longing for what some consider a simpler past as urbanisation takes hold. It’s quite thought-provoking in this context. Editor: Absolutely, art doesn't always have to show life "as it is," and here you see the past “as it feels,” which to me, can be more compelling. What makes this one really memorable for me is how that country house stands alone near this dark and enclosing forest… gives you this really strange combination of warmth and foreboding, it is beautiful and quite scary at the same time. Curator: Indeed, a sense of beautiful isolation prevails. Editor: Yes, you see a longing, there... something in yourself you didn't know you had before standing in front of this image. Curator: I agree completely. Thank you for these enlightening thoughts!