Landeværnsmand 1807

Editor: So, this is "Landeværnsmand" by Johannes Senn, dating back to 1807. It's a watercolor and drawing piece currently held at the SMK. I am really drawn to the Romantic style, yet there's something subdued about it, the pastel-like colors... what's your interpretation? Curator: What I find striking is how Senn captures a very particular moment in Danish history. Consider the socio-political climate of 1807. Denmark was caught in the Napoleonic Wars, and this "Landeværnsmand," essentially a member of the local militia, embodies the public’s response. Editor: So it’s not just a portrait of a soldier but also a statement on Denmark’s political turmoil. The fact that it is watercolour makes me curious as well, the soft colour seems intentional... Curator: Precisely! The choice of watercolor, traditionally associated with preparatory sketches or less "serious" subjects, is itself a commentary. It suggests that Senn saw the "Landeværnsmand" not as a grand hero in the Romantic vein, but as an ordinary citizen caught in extraordinary circumstances. Senn questions heroism itself by creating something akin to what might be mass produced. Editor: That's a really interesting reading of it. I hadn't considered that the medium choice itself could carry such meaning. Almost subversive for its time, isn’t it? Curator: Precisely. Think of the public's view. Here is the everyday man, not in the field, but poised. In what capacity did they see themselves? It is an image fraught with national uncertainty. How would they react? And this speaks to the institution's choice to host, what is seemingly benign. Editor: I never thought I would be seeing something that so pointedly critiqued war in an art work of the Romantic era. Thank you. Curator: A pleasure to unearth its nuanced story.