Console Cupboard with af painted motif, shelf with stones 19th century

Editor: Here we have Christen Købke’s "Console Cupboard with a painted motif, shelf with stones" from the 19th century, housed at the SMK. It’s crafted from wood, and I’m struck by how simple and austere it is. What story do you think this cupboard is telling? Curator: This unassuming cupboard actually invites a critical dialogue around how we classify and value objects. Think about it: a domestic object, striving for artistry. What societal expectations were being challenged, or perhaps reinforced, by attempting to elevate the everyday? Does this cabinet attempt to blur the boundaries between ‘fine art’ and ‘decorative art’? And how does that blurring speak to gendered hierarchies within the art world of the 19th century? Editor: Gendered hierarchies? Is it as simple as assigning feminine qualities to domestic objects and then devaluing them because of that? Curator: It’s much more complex. Consider how women artists were often relegated to domestic scenes and "minor" arts. By presenting this decorated functional object, Købke inadvertently engages with these debates around artistic labour, value, and gender. Also, observe the shelf of stones within: natural, unrefined matter juxtaposed with the crafted, painted surface of the cupboard. What might that juxtaposition suggest about our relationship to the natural world? Editor: So, it's about challenging our assumptions about value and what is considered 'art' within specific social structures? Curator: Precisely. And how objects like this – seemingly simple – can be powerful tools for deconstructing those assumptions, opening avenues for more inclusive and nuanced understandings of art history and its role in perpetuating or dismantling power structures. Editor: I never thought I'd find so much in a simple cupboard. It’s fascinating to view art as a conversation about social roles. Curator: Exactly! Everyday objects often conceal radical commentary. Art makes us question, doesn’t it?