The Establishment of Schools 1779 - 1782

Nicolai Abildgaard created this small, undated painting, “The Establishment of Schools," with oil on canvas. Abildgaard was working during a time of significant social upheaval marked by Enlightenment ideals and revolutionary fervor. In this allegorical scene, we see classical figures, including Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom, and what appears to be a maternal figure at the center surrounded by children. The children appear to be clamoring for her attention, perhaps indicating the universal desire for knowledge and nurturing. Abildgaard’s painting takes place in the Neoclassical style, which often employed classical imagery to convey ideas about civic virtue and social order. Here, he seems to be suggesting that education is crucial for societal progress. And yet, we might also ask, who gets access to this education? The figures are uniformly white, and there is an undeniable sense of hierarchy within the composition, which reminds us that access to knowledge has not always been equally distributed. Ultimately, Abildgaard's painting invites us to consider the power dynamics inherent in the pursuit of knowledge.