Udkast til landskabskomposition 1837 - 1839

Dankvart Dreyer made this landscape composition as a drawing at an unknown date. The work is now held at the Statens Museum for Kunst. This sketch gives us an insight into the institutional context in which Dreyer was working, and more broadly, the purpose of landscape painting in 19th century Denmark. The influence of the Copenhagen Academy is clear here. Landscape painting was valued for its role in fostering national identity. Artists were encouraged to depict the Danish countryside in a way that celebrated its unique beauty. But this was far from a neutral exercise, and the artist was expected to contribute to the consolidation of the nation state. Art historians can use sources such as letters, exhibition catalogs, and contemporary reviews to understand how artists like Dreyer navigated this complex field of cultural production. The meaning of a landscape painting is always contingent on the social and institutional context in which it was made and viewed.