Portrætter af to roskildeborgere "Ehlers" og "Brünniche 1842

This is a pencil drawing by Wilhelm Marstrand, titled "Portraits of two Roskilde citizens 'Ehlers' and 'Brünniche'". Here, Marstrand captures two local citizens, likely men of some standing within their community. Note the attention to their clothing, which signals a degree of social status. Made in Denmark, the image subtly reflects the values of its time, a period marked by emerging national identity and the consolidation of bourgeois power. Marstrand, who trained at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, would have been interested in the power of portraiture to both reflect and shape social perceptions. As historians, we might delve into local archives, census records, and newspaper articles to uncover more about the lives of Ehlers and Brünniche, piecing together a richer understanding of their place in the social fabric of Roskilde. Such research allows us to understand the meaning of the artwork within its original social and institutional context.