Filosoffen Harald Høffding 1894 - 1895

Anders Bundgaard created this plaster cast of ‘The Philosopher Harald Høffding’, now held at the SMK. Notice the pale tonality and the stark contrast between light and shadow. This dramatic chiaroscuro throws the facial features into sharp relief, emphasizing the contours of Høffding’s face. The artist’s focus on the philosopher’s visage transforms the individual into an emblem of intellectual pursuit. The very material, plaster, is significant; a substance capable of capturing the subtlest details, yet inherently fragile and easily marked. The cracks running across the surface introduce an element of vulnerability and temporality to the representation. They disrupt the illusion of permanence, hinting at the inevitable decay that underlies all existence, a theme consistent with the existentialist thought of the period. Consider how the formal qualities of this cast – its play of light, its texture, and its evident imperfections – serve to destabilize the traditional notion of portraiture as a celebration of enduring identity. Instead, Bundgaard’s work presents a more nuanced meditation on the fleeting nature of being.