Danish Art Historian, Julius Lange 1898

This is a bust of Danish art historian Julius Lange by Ludvig Brandstrup, we don't know exactly when it was made, but Brandstrup was working in the late 19th and early 20th century. Sculptures like this are traditionally made through modeling in clay, then casting in plaster, and finally carving in stone. These are all highly skilled processes, requiring years of training. The final result in stone is durable, literally embodying the legacy of the person depicted, who is always someone of high social standing. The bust presents a tension between individualized likeness and generic representation. It is a handcrafted item made using industrial materials, which elevates the person depicted. The immense labor involved, from quarrying the stone to the fine carving, reflects the value placed on Lange's contribution to the arts and humanities. Considering its material, making, and social context allows us to more deeply appreciate the artwork's meaning, challenging traditional distinctions between craft and fine art.