Ung pige med mandolin 1882

Frans Schwartz created this etching, titled "Young Girl with Mandolin," at an unknown date. It depicts a young woman with a mandolin, and the choice of subject suggests a connection to the popular culture of its time. Consider the music halls and theaters of late 19th-century Europe, where the mandolin often featured prominently. It is interesting to note that Schwartz, a Danish artist, may have been looking to Italian culture for inspiration, given the mandolin's strong association with Italy. The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts played a role in shaping artistic tastes and standards in Denmark, and research into the academy’s records might reveal how Italian art and culture were perceived and valued at the time. By examining exhibition catalogues, we might better understand the cultural and institutional contexts that influenced Schwartz's artistic choices.