Landweg met telegraafpalen 1882

Carl Bloch’s “Landweg met telegraafpalen” is rendered in pencil, using subtle gradations to evoke a muted coastal scene. The telegraph poles, stark against the horizon, tell us something about this drawing. Bloch likely executed this drawing on-site, capturing a fleeting impression. The pencil, wielded with careful control, delineates the textures of the landscape. Look closely, and you can see the different marks he makes to suggest the earth of the road, and the long grasses beside it. The telegraph poles would have been newly ubiquitous in the 19th century, as symbols of modernity and connection. Their unadorned materiality stands in contrast to the picturesque quality of the landscape itself. The drawing suggests a society undergoing rapid change. The artist’s hand, mediating between the old world and the new, invites us to consider the relationship between technological progress and our relationship to the natural world. It suggests a sense of labor and connection between society, and the materials used to create the artwork itself. It reminds us that art is not created in a vacuum, but is tied to wider social and political issues.