En fanebærer 1822 - 1885

Joel Ballin made this print, En fanebærer, in Denmark in the mid-19th century. It depicts a standard-bearer in full armour, sword in hand and flag draped over his shoulder. The image draws on a potent visual vocabulary of nationalism. Consider the historical context. Denmark had lost territory in the Schleswig wars a decade before Ballin made this print. Images of martial virtue would have resonated strongly with a public eager to shore up national pride. The image also embodies the institutional histories of art. Prints like this were often made for circulation among the bourgeoisie, to foster patriotic sentiment. The work doesn't obviously critique the institutions of art, but, its reliance on established visual tropes may reflect a conservative approach to national identity. To understand this work better, historians might consult military records, popular literature, and political pamphlets from the period. In this way we can analyze the meaning of art as contingent on ever shifting social and institutional contexts.