Karikatur af en frugtsommelig kone med højre arm udstrakt 1803 - 1809

Curator: Nicolai Abildgaard created this pen drawing, “Karikatur af en frugtsommelig kone med højre arm udstrakt," sometime between 1803 and 1809. It’s currently part of the collection at the SMK, the National Gallery of Denmark. Editor: Whoa, she’s making a statement! I get a real "take no prisoners" vibe, a bit defiant. You can practically feel the weight of… everything, really, in the sketchiness of those lines. Curator: Absolutely. This piece sits within the broader context of Neoclassical art, a period marked by its engagement with ideas of virtue, reason, and order, often filtered through the lens of classical antiquity. The artist, however, introduces a twist through caricature. Editor: Twist is right! It's like, the artist took a typical classical portrait and then cranked up the satire. Those strong lines… there is humor there, sure, but maybe something sharper too? Almost feels a bit feminist, in a pre-feminist kinda way? Curator: Indeed, placing this work within feminist art historical discourse prompts us to consider its engagement with contemporary representations of women, specifically concerning themes of fertility, domesticity, and the societal expectations imposed upon them. The exaggeration of the woman’s physique becomes a potent tool for critiquing normative ideals. Editor: Totally! Her gaze... intense! The stretched out arm, that's a command right there! And it's all rendered in such quick strokes—you get a real sense of immediacy, like the artist just grabbed his pen and had to get this vision down right away. What a power sketch. Curator: I think it succeeds both as a work of art, and as a social commentary. I am stuck by her stance, particularly regarding questions around social critique, class dynamics, and the lived experiences of women in early 19th-century Denmark. Editor: Well, I am now picturing her leading a revolution. From a simple sketch to a powerful presence; art still gets me every time!