Plantestudie 1831 - 1852

Curator: We are looking at “Plantestudie”, a work on paper by Dankvart Dreyer, probably made between 1831 and 1852, and currently held at the SMK, the National Gallery of Denmark. It is executed in pencil and exemplifies Dreyer’s interest in landscapes. Editor: This really hits a nerve with me. It feels so ephemeral, like catching a memory flitting by. The light pencil work almost vanishes into the paper, which looks like it’s patched together…a fragile record of a passing moment, maybe from a sun-drenched afternoon. Curator: The apparent fragility is noteworthy. Dreyer is employing the conventions of realism but seemingly deconstructing it via the suggestive character of the draftsmanship. One recognizes an attempt to capture botanical accuracy, but the image seems on the verge of disappearing. Editor: Disappearing! Exactly! It makes me think of childhood drawings—a direct, almost urgent attempt to capture what’s seen. The simple, sparse lines give it this unpolished, raw quality that's pretty refreshing. Almost childlike. Curator: Childlike perhaps, but meticulously constructed in its apparent simplicity. Observe the confident strokes forming the veins of the leaves, the variations in shading that hint at volume and texture, while considering that these observations are not supported by color. A complex statement achieved with extremely limited means. Editor: Limited, yes, but emotionally abundant. You know, it's funny, it makes me think about how much we overlook. A tiny plant, almost scribbled into existence. It celebrates the overlooked beauty, the quick sketch becomes precious in a strange way. Curator: Indeed, its value, paradoxically, lies in its fragmentary nature and unpretentious execution, which invite a kind of sustained observation seldom elicited by grander, more fully resolved works. Editor: You’re right, absolutely! Looking closely has revealed so much, like a tiny, intimate invitation into another's private observation. A delicate record…I’m really charmed. Curator: Its intimate immediacy provides precisely what enchants. The artist's singular moment of encounter is available to us in a deceptively simple form.