Johannes Hage (Danish Politician) 1918

Ludvig Brandstrup fashioned this likeness of the Danish politician Johannes Hage, but when? I’m curious about the way a sculptor coaxes the material into being. The heavy brow, the set of the jaw—those are things Brandstrup would have built up, bit by bit. With clay or plaster, maybe. You can see the marks of his tools. Each furrow and ridge captures not just Hage’s likeness, but the artist’s struggle to shape the real thing. I wonder what it must be like to try to capture someone’s essence in bronze. And it makes you think about all the other artists throughout time who’ve done the same thing. The conversations they all have across time. It's more than just a portrait; it's a testament to the enduring power of art to capture a moment, a person, and a shared history. The piece is a symbol of human connection and creativity that echoes through time.