Forfatteren Just Mathias Thiele 1824 - 1825

Curator: This striking marble bust is entitled "Forfatteren Just Mathias Thiele," sculpted by H.W. Bissen between 1824 and 1825. Editor: There's a compelling severity to the work; it’s in the planes of the face, the lack of ornamentation... it projects this stark, almost confrontational presence. Curator: The Neoclassical style is quite evident, drawing from classical antiquity in its idealism. Bissen was meticulous in the modeling, the way light interacts with the curves. The evenness of the lighting emphasizes form and the subject's gaze, pushing the boundaries of portraiture and representation. Editor: I'm curious about Just Mathias Thiele himself. What role did figures like him play in Danish society? It is also relevant that Bissen had significant influence as Director of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, effectively contributing to what was seen at the time as culturally relevant. Curator: Thiele was a writer and art historian who played a vital role in preserving Danish folklore. Figures of the time are highly revered due to an effort to define the 'every man', this depiction then provides insight into the intellectual climate that framed the artistic community and production of the time. Editor: Right, so this bust becomes less about capturing likeness and more about representing the cultural value attributed to Thiele, who would serve as an artifact himself. Curator: Precisely, we could say it embodies the burgeoning Danish national identity. Bissen seems focused on presenting an archetype of civic virtue. Editor: The cool marble lends an aura of detached intellect, a sort of romantic nationalism rendered in stone. Viewing it today I can’t help but see that this representation has impacted the history that would follow this subject, which contributes greatly to this particular museum’s curation process. Curator: And the crispness of Bissen’s carving reinforces the clarity of thought this bust suggests. Through close consideration of the aesthetic execution, we understand more deeply how the sculpture communicates values deemed essential to its time. Editor: Yes, understanding this connection adds a certain dimension when considering not only Thiele’s role, but its resonance across history as a commentary on what constitutes an elevated person in society.