Major, Baron Pechlin 1829 - 1899

Curator: This is a print entitled "Major, Baron Pechlin" created sometime between 1829 and 1899 by H.P. Hansen, housed right here at the Statens Museum for Kunst. What’s your initial take? Editor: My first thought? An utter fascination with the material culture of status and satire colliding. The baron’s physique practically spills out of the frame. Curator: It does, doesn't it? Hansen really emphasizes the... largeness, I suppose. The figure almost feels inflated, like a commentary on the excess associated with a certain class. The lines of the engraving really draw attention to the bulk of the man. Editor: Absolutely! And let’s consider the production of this image. Engraving, a meticulously laborious printmaking technique, used to circulate this biting portrayal far and wide. Think about it—the baron's image, multiplied and dispersed. Is it shaming? Lampooning? Or just acknowledging the very visible symbols of bourgeois excess? Curator: It's likely a mix, I suspect. The exaggerated features certainly point towards satire, but there's also a certain... groundedness? Despite the caricature, he stands firmly. What I find so compelling is the sense of genre painting meeting the traditions of portraiture—as a method for expressing personal and even social status. Editor: And that hat! Perfectly placed, and essential. I wonder about the social context in Copenhagen when H.P. Hansen created this image? Did it strike a nerve with those in power? What did those outside of the inner circle think when images like this circulated through the world? Curator: It's a puzzle, isn’t it? A moment frozen in ink and paper, inviting us to speculate, connect, and yes, perhaps even smirk a little at the follies of those who came before. Editor: A potent reminder that materials—ink, paper, even sartorial choices—tell stories more complex than meets the eye. I came expecting art and was delighted with some social commentary! Curator: Me too, as always, the way art creates a conversation between who we were, and who we aspire to be is incredible. Thanks for bringing the sharp analysis, its so important that we allow history and beauty to meet!