Fem mandshoveder 1785 - 1843

C.F. Rumohr sketched these five studies of men's heads with pen and ink on paper. This drawing presents a fascinating glimpse into the artistic practices of early 19th-century Denmark, a period of burgeoning national identity and artistic exploration. We see studies of different ages and social classes. Made in a period marked by significant social and political change across Europe, these studies could well be explorations into physiognomy, the pseudoscience of discerning character from facial features. This theory was popular at the time and was rooted in both scientific and social biases. To truly understand this work, we would need to consider the prevailing intellectual and artistic climate in Denmark at the time. What were the popular theories about race and class, and how might these ideas be reflected in Rumohr's work? By examining the archives of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, we might uncover the pedagogical frameworks that shaped Rumohr’s approach to portraiture.