Læsende ung pige 1825 - 1873

Here we see Wilhelm Marstrand's oil on canvas work, "Young Girl Reading," housed at the SMK. The painting's composition, dominated by monochrome tones, pulls us into the intimate world of a young woman absorbed in her book. The stark contrast between the light falling on her face and the shadowed background creates a profound sense of depth, yet simultaneously flattens the image, emphasizing its constructed nature. Marstrand's brushwork is loose, almost gestural, which destabilizes the traditional academic finish, suggesting a turn towards a more modern treatment of form. The texture of the paint itself becomes a crucial element, a signifier of the artist's process, and thus, the painting becomes a commentary on the act of painting itself, not merely a representation of a scene. The painting challenges the fixed classical values of portraiture by engaging with new ways of thinking about perception and representation.