Udkast til gudinderne 1810 - 1873

"Udkast til gudinderne," or "Draft of the Goddesses," is a pencil drawing by Wilhelm Marstrand. Painted during the 19th century, a time when European art academies favored historical and mythological subjects, this sketch provides a glimpse into the artist’s process of conceptualizing female figures. These figures are presented nude, a fairly traditional way of representing women in classical art. Consider, however, how Marstrand is playing with themes of ideal beauty and femininity through his composition. The goddesses are grouped in a way that invites us to compare and contrast their forms, and to consider the diversity of female beauty. What might these goddesses represent? How do they challenge or reinforce societal expectations? While firmly situated within the art historical context of classical idealism, there is something subtly subversive in the way Marstrand uses the mythological theme to invite reflection on beauty, identity, and representation.