Arindal and Daura c. 1820 - 1825

Johann Peter Krafft painted ‘Arindal and Daura’ in the early 19th century, with oil on canvas. It shows a scene of rescue and vulnerability that speaks to the turbulent political landscape of its time. Painted in Austria, this canvas captures the values of the Biedermeier era. The work evokes the classicism that was fashionable in Austrian aristocratic circles in the early 1800s. The cultural elite looked back to a time when warfare was supposedly more noble. The woman’s flowing blue robe provides a splash of color against the otherwise muted palette, and emphasizes her virtue as an active participant in an heroic act. The dogs serve as an indication of wealth and status. They serve as a reminder of leisure pursuits in the lives of the land-owning classes. As art historians, we can consult period literature and political writings to better understand how such paintings affirmed or challenged the social norms of the time.