Titelvignet til Snorre Sturleson (udg. G. Schiøning): Heimskringla, Bd. I, 1778 1776 - 1779

Johannes Wiedewelt created this title vignette for an edition of Snorre Sturleson's Heimskringla in 1778, using pen and wash on paper. The drawing presents us with a neoclassical scene, allegorical figures amidst crumbling ruins and monuments. The technique of pen and wash is itself an interesting choice, here, more closely associated with preparatory sketches, and other so-called ‘minor’ arts, rather than history painting. It is also perfectly suited to represent the qualities of stone, with its inherent qualities of substance, texture, weight, color and form. Wiedewelt was working in a time when the status of art and craft was being hotly debated. By using pen and wash to depict sculpture, he seems to be challenging the hierarchy of art. Was he arguing that the skill of the draftsman was equal to that of the sculptor? Perhaps, it was his way of elevating the status of craft, and engaging with other histories of creative practices and aesthetics, alongside that of fine art. Ultimately, Wiedewelt’s drawing compels us to consider the value and the cultural significance of making in its expanded sense.