Gefion Ploughs with Four Oxen 1906 - 1909

Editor: Anders Bundgaard’s bronze sculpture, "Gefion Ploughs with Four Oxen," created between 1906 and 1909, is captivating! The oxen exude so much energy despite the rigid material, it really feels like this legendary feat. What do you make of it? Curator: This sculpture visualizes a foundational myth. Gefion, using her giant sons transformed into oxen, carved Zealand out of Sweden's territory. I think this sculpture functions as more than an illustration. It embodies a certain historical and political assertion. Consider the context: turn-of-the-century nationalism intertwined with the ongoing discourse of gender. Where do you see the impact of that socio-historical environment expressed in this sculpture? Editor: I suppose I never considered that the legend serves more than one purpose. Looking at it that way, I wonder about the depiction of Gefion as a powerful female figure subverting patriarchal norms. Curator: Precisely! It’s critical to see past a literal interpretation. Is she a symbol of female strength, or is her power legitimized through appropriating traditionally masculine labor, almost furthering the social structures it might intend to break down? How do you feel about the rough, almost unfinished texture of the piece? Editor: It adds a layer of raw, untamed power, a perfect complement to the myth. It avoids idealizing Gefion and the oxen. Curator: Absolutely, and I wonder how Bundgaard navigated his role as a male artist representing such a subject. In what ways might we relate that internal tension in his choice of medium or aesthetic execution? Editor: That is fascinating. This artwork is so much more complex than I initially perceived! Thank you! Curator: And thank you for posing such insightful questions and bringing a contemporary critical eye to this bronze myth.