Vignet til Edvard Brandes afhandling om Olaf Poulsen 1870s

F. Hendriksen made this vignette for Edvard Brandes's study of Olaf Poulsen, in Denmark, during an unspecified time. Here we see a performer, a fiddler dressed as Harlequin, balanced on an elaborate letter ‘P’. The image is rich with the visual codes of theater. Harlequin, typically a comedic servant character, here seems to be elevated, even dignified, playing his instrument. This blending of high and low art was characteristic of the cultural moment in which it was made. The piece raises questions about the role of theater, and perhaps art more generally, in Danish society at that time. Was it meant as mere entertainment for the masses, or could it aspire to something more profound? Brandes’s study likely delved into these very questions, exploring how a figure like Poulsen navigated the social and artistic landscape of his time. The historian might consult theater archives, social commentaries, and biographical accounts to better understand the dialogue between art and society in this period. Art is never created in a vacuum, and by exploring its connections to the society in which it was made, we gain a deeper appreciation of its meaning and significance.