Hvad for Noget... 1928

Fritz Syberg made this drawing with pen and ink on paper. It depicts a woman sewing indoors, with a chicken perched on a nearby table, and is inscribed with text. The quick strokes suggest that Syberg was more interested in capturing a scene spontaneously than in highly detailed rendering. He's really using the hatching technique here to build up tone and volume. The labor here isn't so much in the drawing itself, but it reflects the labor of the woman portrayed, mending and making do in a domestic setting. She sits, hunched over her work, while the chicken, usually a source of sustenance, is almost like a curious onlooker. The simplicity of the materials emphasizes the everyday quality of the scene. Syberg is asking us to appreciate not just the art, but the lives and work of ordinary people. It blurs the line between fine art and the artistry inherent in daily life.