Allegory of friendship 1808

This sketch, "Allegory of Friendship," was made by Franz Pforr in Germany, sometime around 1810. It shows two women holding hands. The artist was part of the Nazarenes, a group of early 19th-century German Romantic painters who aimed to revive honesty and spirituality in art. They rejected what they saw as shallow contemporary art and looked to Italian and German artists of the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance for inspiration. Friendship was a central value for the Nazarenes. Here, the figures’ dress and the setting evoke early Renaissance art. Above the women, we see an image of the Last Supper, suggesting the spiritual importance of friendship. The sketch format gives the image an unfinished, intimate quality. To understand this artwork, one could look at manifestos and letters written by members of the Nazarenes, and at the artworks that inspired them. It shows us how art and friendship can be powerful alternatives to the established institutions of the time.