Portræt af Susette Holten 1863 - 1923

Editor: Here we have Johanne Krebs' pencil drawing, "Portrait of Susette Holten," created sometime between 1863 and 1923. The delicacy of the lines gives it a rather quiet, contemplative feel. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Notice how the artist uses subtle variations in pressure to create volume and form, wouldn't you agree? And those hands... they seem almost unfinished, dreamlike. The pencil as a medium often evokes intimacy, immediacy; a glimpse into the artist's working process, but consider the sitter. Holten, the subject, carries with her the weight of academic art, which this pencil portrait so elegantly adheres to, reflecting that style's dedication to realism. Editor: Academic art, that makes sense. So, what's communicated beyond just skillful rendering? What did the symbol of "portrait" communicate at the time, for those participating in it? Curator: Portraits historically acted as markers of status, remembrance, and idealized beauty. The portrait served a purpose; perhaps a reflection on memory as an ongoing tradition, as cultural transmission across generations. Doesn't it make you wonder about their relationship and the social conventions they operated within? Editor: I hadn't thought of the relationship between artist and subject, or portraiture as an ongoing practice, interesting. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure. Looking closer has opened up those symbolic doors once more, hasn’t it?