Forarbejde til et af hovederne til stikket: Frederik d. Store rider hjem efter en revy ved Potsdam 1788

Curator: So, here we have a fascinating preparatory sketch. It's titled "Forarbejde til et af hovederne til stikket: Frederik d. Store rider hjem efter en revy ved Potsdam"—quite a mouthful—made by J.F. Clemens in 1788. A neoclassical portrait, rendered delicately in pencil. What strikes you first? Editor: Well, beyond the rather austere, almost clinical style, I'm captivated by the tentative nature of the lines. It’s as if the artist is feeling his way around the subject, unsure of its final form. There’s a real fragility to it. Curator: Absolutely. As a study for a larger engraving, it has this raw, unrefined energy. The gaze is particularly interesting; direct, but somehow vulnerable. Like he’s slightly impatient but in a thoughtful way, waiting. Editor: The hat, though! Such a bold statement, literally and figuratively crowning this figure. I'm compelled to think about the societal power dynamics being depicted here, the performance of masculinity and authority in late 18th-century Prussia. Even in this rough state, we’re seeing carefully constructed symbolism. Curator: Power, yes, but also…almost theatrical? It's a fleeting, candid moment. There’s a wonderful immediacy that transcends its historical context, don’t you think? Editor: I agree it hints at both. There is no way that J.F. Clemens wouldn't know of how he was depicting royalty and all its many sociopolitical associations in society through portraits such as this, and even this sketch shows it off. How might such a figure relate to current day gender performativity? What does Clemens' portrait propose regarding authority and identity and does this figure even have a real true self? Curator: Perhaps! Maybe that question is a question for all leaders and powerful figureheads of past and present: What makes them tick and act the way they do? I appreciate that this modest drawing ignites those expansive discussions! Editor: It reminds us that even the most seemingly straightforward images carry layers of meaning, waiting to be unearthed. It is so valuable in such artwork! Curator: Well put. Thank you!