Portrait Of Thorvaldsen 1842

Friedrich von Amerling painted this portrait of Bertel Thorvaldsen, a renowned Danish-Icelandic sculptor, sometime in the 19th century. Amerling, born in the Austrian Empire, navigates the conventions of portraiture while subtly hinting at the sitter's identity and status. Thorvaldsen, with his disheveled hair and somewhat rumpled attire, is not presented as an aristocrat, despite his fame. The portrait seems to humanize him, moving beyond mere representation to suggest something of his inner life as an artist. Consider the implications of painting a sculptor. While portraiture often captures the likeness and status of individuals, here we have an artist known for creating likenesses in three dimensions, rendered in two dimensions. What does it mean to capture a sculptor, who himself captures others? This painting not only immortalizes Thorvaldsen but also invites us to reflect on the nature of artistic creation and the interplay between identity, representation, and the artist's gaze.