Kvinde siddende på skyer omgivet af en flok børn, til højre en svævende figur 1814 - 1815

C.G. Kratzenstein Stub created this pen and brown ink drawing of a woman sitting on clouds surrounded by children in Denmark during the late 18th or early 19th century. Here we see a Neoclassical interest in idealised forms which is typical of the period. The image appears to be allegorical in nature, perhaps referencing mythological or biblical themes. The artist may be commenting on the role of women as mothers and caregivers, a common theme in art of this time. The prevalence of these themes was tied to strong social expectations of women in that time, and influenced by religious doctrine. To fully understand this drawing, further research into the artist's life and the cultural context of Denmark during this period would be needed, including the influence of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. Studying this artwork through this lens will give us more of an appreciation of the ideas it represents, and of the social conditions that made it possible.