Portrait of Mrs. Vilhelmine Heise, born Hage 1856

This is Wilhelm Marstrand’s portrait of Mrs. Vilhelmine Heise, born Hage, made with oil on canvas. Marstrand’s process here is typical of academic painting, building up layers of pigment to create a convincing likeness. But it is interesting to think about the materials Mrs. Heise is wearing. The lace at her neck, the brooch, the pearlescent earrings, and the silk shawl all speak to a highly developed textile economy, and allude to the labor of many hands. While Marstrand’s painting is itself the product of skilled work, so too are these other crafted elements, which contribute much to the overall effect. These materials, like the painting itself, are commodities. It is through their circulation that aesthetic value and social status are created. The next time you look at a painting like this, consider not just the labor of the artist, but the broader system of production that brings us everything we see represented.