Forskellige rids og bogstavøvelser 1849 - 1852

Dankvart Dreyer made this drawing, ‘Various scribbles and letter exercises’ with pen and pencil in 19th-century Denmark. Its apparent randomness belies the highly structured nature of artistic training at the time. In the early 1800s, the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts was the epicentre of Danish art. Aspiring artists like Dreyer would begin by copying existing artworks, progressing from simple lines and shapes to complex forms and compositions. Letter exercises such as these reflect the value placed on the ability to express ideas clearly and elegantly. The Academy taught that mastery of line and form was the basis of all great art. This system aimed to instil a sense of national artistic identity rooted in the values of classicism and the Italian Renaissance. By looking at student drawings and the Academy's records, we can gain a deeper appreciation of the social and institutional forces that shaped Danish art in the 19th century. The artwork can be understood as the product of a rigorous training system which had the purpose of upholding specific artistic and cultural values.