Kompositionsstudie af to figurer, der står overfor hinanden 1879 - 1910

Oluf Hartmann made this study of two figures facing each other with pencil on paper. We are fortunate to see this sketch today at the Statens Museum for Kunst. Hartmann was working in Denmark during a period of great social change. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Denmark saw the rise of industrialization, urbanization, and new political movements. These shifts influenced the art world. Artists began to explore new ways of representing the human condition. The figures in this sketch are rendered with stark, unflinching lines and the artist seems less interested in the outward appearance of the subjects and more concerned with their internal states. For the art historian, the image invites us to look more closely at the museums, galleries, and schools in which art is produced. It also raises questions about the social conditions that shape artistic production. What was the role of art in Danish society at this time? Was Hartmann trying to challenge or reinforce existing social norms? These are some of the questions we might consider.