Syv figurstudier, dansende, model, grædende kvinde med armene om halsen på opgivende udseende mand 1810 - 1873

Wilhelm Marstrand created this sketch of seven figures using graphite on paper. These studies likely served as preparations for a larger history painting, a genre promoted in 19th century Europe by institutions such as the Royal Danish Academy. Notice how Marstrand explores a range of human emotions, from despair to joy. The dancers in the center evoke the lively atmosphere of the theater, yet elsewhere he juxtaposes these figures with sketches of a weeping woman and a despondent man. Marstrand here is interested in exploring the range of human emotions permitted for representation in high art. By including both tragic and comic figures, Marstrand questions the separation of the genres championed by the Academy. Further research into the artist’s involvement with the theatrical world of Copenhagen might illuminate the relationship between his academic ambitions and his interest in exploring a wider range of subjects and emotions.