En adelig herre og en bonde på en vippe. Den første bliver vippet til vejrs 1787

Nicolai Abildgaard’s 1787 drawing “En adelig herre og en bonde på en vippe. Den første bliver vippet til vejrs” depicts a nobleman and a peasant on a seesaw. The nobleman is being lifted into the air, suggesting social upheaval. The playful use of a seesaw as a symbol of class conflict reflects the social and political changes of the late 18th century, where Denmark was experiencing a period of reform and enlightenment. The drawing, held at SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst, is a small piece at only 150 mm high and 147 mm wide, yet effectively captures the social satire of the time.