Digteren Johannes Ewald 1778 - 1782

Hartman Beeken sculpted this marble bust of the poet Johannes Ewald. Beeken, like Ewald, lived in a time of significant cultural transition, between the Enlightenment and the rise of Romanticism. In the bust we see an attempt to capture the essence of Ewald's identity as a troubled genius. While the sculpture adheres to classical traditions of portraiture, it also hints at the inner turmoil and emotional depths often associated with the Romantic ideal of the artist. Ewald's life was marked by personal struggles, including poverty and addiction, which fueled his passionate verse. Sculptures like these immortalize figures but they also reveal how society chooses to remember them. Beeken’s sculpture is a lasting portrayal of Ewald’s significance to Danish literary history. As you reflect on this piece, consider how it shapes our understanding of the relationship between artistic expression and personal experience.