Annette Hage viser sin brodersøn Hother billeder 1856

This delicate sketch was made by Wilhelm Marstrand, though we don't have any information regarding the year it was made or its exact purpose. The drawing depicts Annette Hage showing pictures to her nephew, Hother, and it allows us to imagine something of the cultural life of Copenhagen's bourgeoisie in the 1800s. We might consider how Marstrand’s work intersects with institutional practices of the day, particularly the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, where he both studied and later taught. The drawing encourages viewers to imagine the domestic space of a wealthy family, perhaps even Marstrand’s own. Through cultural references, we may see the influence of Golden Age painting and the importance of visual narratives in society. To better understand this sketch, we might look to sources such as family records, the artist’s letters, and accounts of domestic life in Denmark. These resources help reveal the painting’s place in a broader social and institutional context.