Johanne Sophie De Coninck 1748 - 1831

Curator: The artwork before us is a print titled "Johanne Sophie De Coninck," created by J.F. Clemens between 1748 and 1831. It resides here at the SMK, the Statens Museum for Kunst. Editor: My initial response is drawn to the subdued elegance and formality; it has a quiet emotional tenor. The carefully delineated oval emphasizes the central figure and contributes to that reserve. Curator: The print is an engraving, so let's think about how it fits within the broader context of 18th and early 19th-century portraiture. These printed portraits circulated widely, and served to construct and disseminate specific ideas about status and social identity. Editor: The details in the ruffled bonnet and lace shawl demonstrate Clemens’ command of line. Consider how the texture is built up gradually, through cross-hatching and stippling to produce tonal contrasts—giving dimension to an otherwise linear form. Curator: This reminds us how portraiture in this era became crucial in shaping public perception. Prints such as this acted almost like celebrity photographs—allowing wider society to own and contemplate images of prominent figures. Consider Johanne Sophie's apparent respectability in line with her clothing as clues about her social standing within Danish society. Editor: It’s hard not to appreciate the restrained color palette. Its sepia tonality enhances the gentle quality of the composition. Visually, everything converges towards her face. It serves to underline the humanism inherent within this portrait. Curator: Yes! The very circulation of her likeness underscores emerging concepts around individual legacy and historical memory, as evidenced by the dedication below. Editor: A testament to the enduring fascination with the self and how visual culture—through even the humblest of means, like this print—shapes perception. Curator: Precisely. "Johanne Sophie De Coninck" acts not just as a picture, but as an emblem of social history and personal remembrance.