Gerhard Morell, Keeper of the Royal Danish Kunstkammer 1704 - 1765

This oil on canvas portrait depicts Gerhard Morell, the Keeper of the Royal Danish Kunstkammer, and was painted by Johann Salomon Wahl. Consider the materials: oil paint, canvas, and pigment, all commodities within early modern global trade networks. The very construction of this painting speaks to the relationship between art and economics. Wahl's application of paint would have required skill and precision, building up layer upon layer, a labor-intensive process. Note the contrast between the smoothness of Morell's skin and the fur wrap, evoking a sense of luxury and status. The Kunstkammer itself was a carefully curated collection of objects and curiosities, and Morell's role as keeper speaks to the importance of knowledge and taste during this period. This portrait invites us to consider the intersections of labor, materials, and social status, and the skilled craftsmanship that shaped the art world.