Maria Ulrica Berner, f. Schouw 1760 - 1802

Curator: Here we have a painting of Maria Ulrica Berner by Jens Juel, likely done somewhere between 1760 and 1802, an oval portrait rendered in oil on canvas. My immediate impression is how domestic she seems, approachable despite being a portrait. Editor: Yes, and rendered nearly monochromatically, with a somber, almost austere feeling despite the sitter's calm expression and patterned shawl. It looks deceptively simple, but it’s likely the application of those very materials reveals a lot about class. Curator: You’re right. Though Neoclassical in its plainness, there’s also an undeniable realism, perhaps hinting at a growing middle class and a shift in patronage. What stories that cloth could tell! Do you suppose it was hand-spun? I can almost feel its weight and texture, not to mention picture the person making it. Editor: Almost certainly. We tend to see portraiture as the domain of high art, but the making of the materials involves countless hours of labor that's easy to overlook. Considering this portrait hangs in Denmark's National Gallery, it speaks to how the art world values some kinds of making while marginalizing others. Curator: Absolutely. Even Juel's technique seems aligned with this subtle subversion of expectations. There's an honesty in his brushstrokes. Look at the rendering of her hair, so casual and loose; it's as though she’s about to step off the canvas and tell us a secret! I get the feeling that Berner has opinions! Editor: And notice how those darker tones behind her are almost flat. Perhaps that helps draw attention to her expression, to emphasize an inner quality... And maybe to draw attention to the construction of the painted object. We know it is “art” because it imitates or attempts to capture likeness. But we need support, canvas and all the unseen labor too. Curator: True enough. Though stark, I find it hopeful, hinting at changing social dynamics perhaps, or maybe simply the artist's unique eye and sensitivity. It’s a humble moment of connection caught in paint. Editor: I agree. Peeling back those layers reveals how this image offers many stories—some about artifice, and others about quiet revolutions happening right under the surface.