En kanefart i Fakkelskin over Holmens bro 1790s

Jens Juel created this evocative drawing of a torchlit sleigh ride over Holmen's Bridge in Copenhagen. As an artist working in the late 18th century, Juel navigated a society steeped in tradition and shifting political landscapes. Sleigh rides were fashionable, and the bridge would have been a place to see and be seen. The drawing captures a moment of aristocratic leisure; the figures are shrouded in anonymity but we can assume that they are members of the Copenhagen elite. Juel renders classical statues, juxtaposing the cold, marble figures with the warmth of the social gathering. The drawing's use of light and shadow seems to evoke a sense of fleeting beauty. This gathering of the elite is made more ephemeral by the nature of the drawing itself. "En kanefart i Fakkelskin over Holmens bro" encapsulates a moment in time, where the privileges and pleasures of the few were captured with delicate artistry.