Blomster på en sten 1818 - 1872

Christine Løvmand, a Danish artist, made this oil on canvas, "Flowers on a Stone." Still life painting was considered an acceptable subject matter for women artists in the 19th century and Løvmand was a prolific painter of botanical studies. In this image, she arranges a carefully constructed display of flowers on a rock under a shadowy tree. Consider the politics of imagery during this period. The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, a key institution, admitted women into its drawing classes from the 1780s. However, women were excluded from painting from live models until 1888, meaning they were discouraged from painting figure studies, which was considered to be the highest genre. Therefore, this artwork may comment on the social structures of its time, confined as she was to painting domestic scenes. Further research into the records of the Academy and studies into the market for art in Denmark in the 19th century would provide more clues to understanding the social context in which Løvmand was working.