Antik kriger. Studiehoved 1801

Editor: We're looking at "Ancient Warrior. Head Study," an oil painting created around 1801 by J.L. Lund. The figure has such a striking gaze; what strikes you about it? Curator: The painting is romanticising labor under specific historicized and cultural contexts, so let's consider what materials went into producing that effect. I'm intrigued by the choice of oil paint. Oil allowed Lund to blend and layer pigments to achieve a life-like complexion, seemingly ageless and potent. And consider where those materials were sourced – who mined the minerals for the pigments? How were the brushes made, and by whom? The linen canvas? Editor: That's fascinating, I never thought about the individual labor going into pigment creation at this period! How does that sourcing change the reading of "Ancient Warrior" beyond a romanticized depiction? Curator: Well, think about it. The intense look, the red robe…these weren't conjured from thin air, they needed labour. What are the possible political dimensions for such labor in Romanticism at the beginning of the 19th Century? For instance, what can that painting possibly express, subtly or boldly, by portraying a man who also ‘produces’? Editor: I suppose that brings up the questions of how artists, even those dealing with historical or mythological subjects, were always embedded in their contemporary society. Lund’s choices regarding materiality weren’t just about aesthetics, they’re connected to power dynamics. Curator: Exactly. It makes you wonder how the warrior is both participating and standing against modes of production. Considering materiality opens a much broader avenue of historical interpretation for Lund's work!