Eland c. 1912 - 1913

Editor: This is Henri Gaudier-Brzeska’s "Eland," a quick sketch, and it feels so alive despite being just a few lines. What do you see in this piece, beyond the obvious depiction of an animal? Curator: I see a challenge to our anthropocentric view of the world. Gaudier-Brzeska, deeply influenced by his time, was grappling with how modernism could represent non-human life. It is interesting to consider the context of early 20th-century anxieties about industrialization and its impact on the natural world. Editor: So, you're saying it's not just about drawing an eland, but about our relationship with nature? Curator: Precisely. The sketch's rawness, its lack of adornment, speaks to a desire to capture the essence of the animal, perhaps as a commentary on the objectification of the natural world. Gaudier-Brzeska lost his life in WWI, right? It's a poignant reminder of the impact of conflict on both human and non-human lives. Editor: That gives me a lot to think about. It's more than just a drawing; it's a statement.