En nøgen hyrdedreng (David?) 1831 - 1852

Dankvart Dreyer made this small drawing, titled *En nøgen hyrdedreng*, or *A Naked Shepherd Boy*, in Denmark sometime in the first half of the 19th century. It is executed in pencil. This image of a nude youth in a classical setting is part of a larger movement in 19th century European art that was influenced by the revival of Greek and Roman aesthetics. This so-called Neoclassical style was promoted by European art academies which held significant power over artists' careers. The academies emphasized drawing from life, particularly of the male nude, and sought to create a sense of beauty and idealization through their art. Dreyer's work can be seen in the light of these institutional trends, but also in terms of the socio-political context of Denmark at this time. To fully understand Dreyer's drawing, we might turn to art criticism of the day, as well as the writings of art theorists and historians, to reconstruct the image's role in cultural and institutional history. The archive is where an artwork’s meaning is truly found.