Two Studies of a Male Nude (Althaemenes) Hiding in a Bush 1763 - 1809

Curator: Soaked in melancholy. This ink drawing titled "Two Studies of a Male Nude (Althaemenes) Hiding in a Bush," made between 1763 and 1809 by Nicolai Abraham Abildgaard, seems like a meditation on despair. Editor: I agree. My first impression is one of intense vulnerability. Both figures are almost fetal, curled up in what appears to be, well, hiding. There’s a weight to it that feels very human, even raw. Curator: Right? Abildgaard was known for his history paintings, often grand and sweeping. But here, in this more intimate study, there's a quietude. You can feel Althaemenes’ desperation; a sort of cowering. It reminds me of being a kid when I used to hide in a corner thinking nobody would notice I was there. Editor: It’s fascinating to consider the context. Althaemenes, in Greek myth, leaves his family to avoid fulfilling a prophecy where he kills his own father. So, the ‘hiding’ becomes symbolic of evading fate, family duty, which intersects with themes of destiny and self-determination. Does running away really grant us agency? Or is it a different form of being trapped? Curator: Well put! It makes me think of other classical characters grappling with awful choices, like Oedipus. But, technically, shouldn't Althaemenes, son of King Catreus, be posed with a bit more royal confidence and composure? I wonder if the artist is making him a relatable mortal by choosing to focus instead on this internal struggle. Editor: Absolutely. And note that they are studies. So perhaps the artist sought that authentic emotional note through form; Abildgaard presents a hero not of flawless physicality, but caught in a moment of sheer human panic, and therefore more relevant. We get a male nude, yes, but outside of idealized heroic expectation. Curator: Exactly. The vulnerability, even the physical awkwardness of the figures, undermines the classic "heroic nude" trope. Which is, I think, much more exciting. In art like this I start to remember the reason I’m drawn to museums to begin with. Editor: And to reflect on the social scripts we inherit—of heroism, destiny, and familial bonds. To then confront those narratives through images of raw, embodied emotion like these figures. Very compelling!