Inspire Nature: Water

This tiny palm–sized goat figurine could be held in the hand. It is cast in bronze and would be cool to the touch. It is natural in appearance, sitting on the floor with its legs tucked underneath, head turning around to the side, and its front leg is out in front as if it is starting to stand up. Archaeologists have found huge numbers of these votive animals in areas which are now dry, but used to be the places of rivers and streams. We think that the Ancient Greeks thought of streams, groves and rivers as magical or sacred places where the gods and goddesses could be communicated with. They believed that giving by placing these special animal tokens into the water, they might be granted a wish or a prayer. This might have been to keep their animals safe and strong, or perhaps to make sure they had plenty of young animals for the farms. They hoped that the gods and goddesses would see their wishes in the shape of these animal creatures, and protect them. Some people also think that the tiny animal statues could have been given as thanks as well as wishes for the future.

The Fitzwilliam Museum has a lovely collection of these votive animals, which are often full of character like this tiny goat. The collection includes include bulls, dogs, goats and others animals.

Carl Frederik Sørensen was one of the most well-known Danish marine painters of his time. He was recognized all over the world, exhibiting at the Paris Exposition Universelle in 1855 & 1878, and at the Vienna Exposition in 1873.

As a young painter, training at the Danish Academy in Copenhagen between 1843–46, he would take regular summer breaks to the coast to sketch. He would then work these sketches into larger oil paintings back in the studio during the long, dark winter months.

He also went on long sea voyages around the world and painted what he saw, including to the Mediterranean, the Netherlands, Germany, France and England. He had a special interest in the weather and it’s effects on the sea and developed his own recognizable style which you can see in this painting.

In this painting he pulls back from the sea at a high vantage point, so the storm watchers huddled by the jetty appear small. He uses the static form of the jetty to capture the movement and collision of the waves. The wind whips the wave crests into plumes of spray as they surge to shore, all captured with quick spontaneous broad brushstrokes. You really get the impression that Sørensen understood the sea, its currents and unpredictable nature.

It seems as if he was quite happy with the painting when he finished – he scratched his signature and the date with the end of his brush in the bottom right corner while the oil paint was still wet.