Portræt af en ung Dame med blaat Haarbaand 

Jens Juel, a leading portraitist in Denmark, made this pastel drawing of a young lady with a blue hair ribbon. Juel was the favored painter of the Danish elite during the late 18th century. He was even appointed court painter. His portraits, like this one, give us a glimpse into the values and aesthetics of that time. Pastel was a popular medium for portraiture, offering a soft, flattering effect that appealed to aristocratic tastes. The woman’s simple, elegant dress and natural hairstyle reflect the growing influence of Enlightenment ideals, which favored simplicity and reason over the excessive ornamentation of earlier periods. The blue ribbon may be a marker of status, or perhaps a personal symbol, although we may never know for sure. To understand this work more fully, we might investigate the history of portraiture in Denmark, study the fashion trends of the time, and explore Juel’s biography and artistic development. Only then can we appreciate the ways in which this drawing reflects and shapes the cultural values of its time.