Armringe 1840 - 1844

Lorenz Frølich created this pen and ink drawing, titled ‘Armringe’, at an unknown date. We can only assume that it was made at some point during his career in Denmark. Frølich was an artist and illustrator known for his historical and mythological subjects. This sketch appears to be a study of arm rings, a type of jewelry worn in ancient Scandinavia as a symbol of status and wealth. The detailed rendering, showing the craftsmanship and design elements, speak to a 19th-century interest in Norse history. Denmark, in the 19th century, experienced a surge of national romanticism, sparking a renewed interest in Viking history and Norse mythology. Institutions such as museums and academies encouraged artists to depict scenes and objects from this era. Frølich's drawing, while seemingly a simple sketch, participates in the larger cultural trend of celebrating and idealizing the Norse past. To fully understand this drawing, one might research Frølich's career, the cultural context of 19th-century Denmark, and the archaeological discoveries of Viking artifacts. Art history, after all, is inseparable from the history of social life.