Ubekendt ung pige 1813 - 1868

Editor: This is an intriguing sculpture, an "Unknown Young Girl" crafted in bronze sometime between 1813 and 1868 by H.W. Bissen. The bronze gives the sculpture a warm, reflective quality, and the young girl's expression is so serene. What catches your eye about this piece? Curator: Note the subtle shift from the sharp geometric planes of the base to the increasingly organic form of the figure. It creates a tension that is then resolved in the soft modeling of her face. How would you describe the artist’s use of line and form in constructing the girl's features? Editor: Her brow line is very smooth, and her cheekbones almost blend into the rest of her face. It is idealized. What about the use of light and shadow? Curator: Precisely. Consider how the artist manipulates light across the planes of her face. See how the polished bronze reflects light, accentuating the smooth surfaces and highlighting the subtle curves? The controlled light, with the darkest accents near the unseen back of the neck, draws the viewer's eye irresistibly toward the countenance of the girl. What effect does this have on our reading of the subject? Editor: It definitely highlights the peaceful and pure effect. This manipulation really amplifies it. Curator: The very precise manipulation of reflected light serves to aestheticize the subject and the idealized subject in turn serves the bronze as well. This kind of symbiotic relationship demonstrates the artist’s mastery of sculptural form. Do you agree? Editor: Absolutely. I learned how the relationship between form and light shapes how we respond to a sculpture. Curator: Indeed, focusing on the formal qualities reveals layers of meaning in what at first seems like a simple portrait.