Forarbejde til et af hovederne til stikket: Frederik d. Store rider hjem efter en revy ved Potsdam 1788

Editor: This drawing, from 1788, is titled "Study for one of the Heads for the Engraving: Frederick the Great Rides Home After a Review Near Potsdam" by J.F. Clemens. It's a pencil drawing. There's something so immediate and fragile about it, despite depicting someone so powerful. What captures your attention when you look at it? Curator: Fragile, yes! That’s exactly the feeling the artist manages to evoke with these tentative, searching lines. I'm immediately struck by the intimacy of this study. Clemens gives us a glimpse behind the facade of Frederick the Great, who by 1788, would have been an old man, nearing his death. Note how the strong vertical lines defining his hat and coat create this sort of rigid box, within which is the expressive, vulnerable face, masterfully capturing his age. You sense the weight of command etched into his very skin, don't you think? What is your eye drawn to? Editor: I completely agree about the weight of command, the face shows that very clearly. It's the hat, actually. The contrast between the roughly sketched hat and the detailed face highlights the vulnerability, like the trappings of power are almost weighing him down. I suppose Clemens intended to emphasize that aspect. What do you know of Clemens himself? Curator: It is interesting to speculate. While there’s little humor visible in this face, imagine Clemens slyly poking fun at Frederick! As for Clemens, he was a skilled engraver, a sought-after portraitist, known for his technical mastery and attention to detail. But that attention never translated to cold perfection, like a machine, don’t you agree? His works have a beautiful human sensibility, that is also very present in this particular work. Editor: Definitely! Seeing it as a study makes me appreciate the artist's process so much more. I'm understanding more about what Neoclassicism might mean. Curator: Indeed, this seemingly simple drawing whispers volumes about power, age, and the artistic process itself. It is about finding a story within. A story we create by witnessing the object!