En siddende genius 1743 - 1809

Curator: This sketch by Nicolai Abildgaard, "En siddende genius," created sometime between 1743 and 1809, really piques my interest. I’m fascinated by the artist's choices here. Editor: Indeed! This drawing, seemingly composed of pen and pencil on paper, possesses a mysterious quality. The figure, perhaps a muse, exudes quiet contemplation. How should we interpret this work, given its fragmented appearance? Curator: I see it as a documentation of artistic labour, laid bare for our inspection. The pen and ink—the materials themselves—become critical. How much are they affected by the socio-economic status of that time? Is it something widely accessible or considered as precious and exclusive. Editor: That’s a unique approach. I tend to look for narrative elements first, the figure itself. But thinking about the materials changes the way I look at it, because the pen itself gives texture to the piece. How do you see this challenging traditional boundaries between high art and craft? Curator: Exactly! It’s easy to elevate a finished painting. However, by leaving the sketch exposed, Abildgaard is inviting us to think about process and labour rather than mere visual pleasure. What happens if we value the labour equally? Then how can we rethink the meaning of 'genius'? Editor: It does make you think differently. Viewing the sketch as a product of work and materials used definitely highlights the labor usually hidden behind a 'finished' artwork. Curator: Precisely! Now, we've started to look beyond just what's depicted and examined how the sketch itself tells a deeper story of production and artistic practice in Abildgaard’s time. Editor: It seems there is so much more to the object than a simple image. I now appreciate how the choices of materials and techniques reveal different perspective in analyzing a drawing!