(op)rids af en ornamenteret stage 1780s

Curator: This intriguing sketch is entitled '(op)rids af en ornamenteret stage,' dating from the 1780s and created by Nicolai Abildgaard. It’s a pencil drawing held here at the SMK, showcasing a design for an ornate candelabra. Editor: It's strangely…weightless. Despite all the implied detail and potential for grandeur, it floats on the page. Like a ghostly memory of neoclassical ideals. Curator: Precisely! Abildgaard was deeply influenced by neoclassicism. Look at the symmetry, the stylized floral elements, and of course, the sphinx figure—all drawing on classical motifs and a sense of restrained elegance. The museum context highlights the historical appreciation for art within society. Editor: The sphinx seems…unfinished, doesn’t she? As though the artist captured her essence but left her trapped in the idea stage. It makes you wonder what a finished piece would look like, and more broadly about the value that we attach to "finished" objects. Curator: And consider how the institutional role of academies dictated training at the time; drawings such as this formed the foundations for larger projects or as teaching aids. They reflect not just the artist's intention but also the art world of that time. Editor: I like to imagine the light from the candles flickering on that sphinx, bringing her to life… almost a dream-like projection of knowledge and the fantastic world, against the dark backdrop of the age of revolution. Curator: That brings it to life for me. We see art reflecting dreams and reflecting power, the state and the intimate intertwining on a single piece of paper. Editor: Exactly, it has me considering a sort of… fragile eternity held by art.