Udkast til tympanonrelief på Københavns Rådhus 1895

Agnes Slott-Møller made this sketch, Udkast til tympanonrelief på Københavns Rådhus, with graphite on paper. It’s now held at the Statens Museum for Kunst. This sketch for a tympanum relief at Copenhagen City Hall connects to a wider cultural movement towards national romanticism in Denmark at the turn of the 20th century. In the image, we see figures arranged in a semi-circular format, typical of tympanum designs. The composition suggests a gathering of people, possibly representing important figures or events in the city's history. Made for the Copenhagen City Hall, it would have been subject to public and institutional scrutiny, reflecting and reinforcing civic values. Denmark at this time was experiencing a surge in national identity, and this commission speaks to the role of public art in constructing a shared cultural narrative. We can use historical archives, official records, and studies of Danish cultural history to better understand the full meaning of this artwork. Art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.