Kvindeportræt i halvfigur 1746 - 1828

C.A. Lorentzen sketched this half-figure portrait of a woman, using graphite, during the late 18th or early 19th century. It captures the subject in a pose of elegant informality, glancing over her shoulder, her hair swept up in a fashionable style of the period. Produced in Denmark, this drawing reflects the neoclassical trends that dominated European art at the time. The emphasis on line and form, along with the subject's classical features, place it within the artistic conventions favored by academies and elite patrons. Lorentzen himself was a product of this system, having trained at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. His career reflected the institution's influence on artistic production and taste. Historical records, such as the Academy's archives, exhibition catalogs, and period publications, provide insights into the social and cultural context that shaped Lorentzen's work and its reception. This close attention to the historical situation of art-making is essential for us to appreciate the nuanced meanings and values embedded within this seemingly simple portrait.