En mand med et laterna magica viser et billede af gehejmestatsrådet by Nicolai Abildgaard

En mand med et laterna magica viser et billede af gehejmestatsrådet 1743 - 1809

drawing

aged paper

toned paper

pencil sketch

coloured pencil

coffee painting

underpainting

19th century

watercolour illustration

pencil art

watercolor

"En mand med et laterna magica viser et billede af gehejmestatsrådet" (A man with a magic lantern shows a picture of the Privy Council) is a drawing by Nicolai Abildgaard, created between 1743 and 1809. The artwork, currently housed at SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst, depicts a man using a magic lantern to project an image of a meeting of the Privy Council onto a screen. This satirical work, measuring 158 mm in height and 153 mm in width, offers a glimpse into the popular 18th-century entertainment of the magic lantern, showcasing the social commentary and humor prevalent in Abildgaard's art. The detailed depiction of the lantern and its projection, combined with the humorous portrayal of the council members, highlights the artist's keen observation of his time and his ability to satirize social and political issues through art.

Comments

statensmuseumforkunst about 1 year ago

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The blackened back of a drawing indicates that the artist wanted to transfer the motif - or part of it - to another medium. This is a well-known, simple technique. The back of the drawing is blackened with a layer of dark rubbing colour, usually black chalk or charcoal. The outline of the motif is then traced with a blunt stylus, transferring it to the material beneath. This method of tracing is often used to make print designs. The technique is only faintly visible on the front of Abildgaard’s drawings, but on the back the blackening is obvious, and the marked outline stands out clearly. Abildgaard’s drawing with the lanterna magica was used as design for a book illustration using tracing on a metal printing plate. In the other example, the profile portrait was transferred to a piece of paper, providing the basis for a drawing.