To udkast af en nøgen moder, der omfavner sit lille barn 1743 - 1809

Editor: Here we have Nicolai Abildgaard's "Two Studies of a Nude Mother Embracing Her Small Child," created sometime between 1743 and 1809 using ink on paper. There’s a striking contrast between the delicate lines of the figures and the coarse texture of the paper. What aspects of the artistic process capture your attention? Curator: I’m immediately drawn to the raw materiality of this drawing. Notice the starkness of the ink against the paper—likely a readily available and affordable medium at the time. Consider the labour involved. It speaks to an intimacy and accessibility rarely found in the polished oil paintings of the elite. Abildgaard isn't just depicting a scene; he's actively *making* something with rudimentary means. What does the sketch-like nature of the piece say about production and labor for you? Editor: It does feel very immediate. Like we’re witnessing Abildgaard’s thought process as he experiments with the composition. The upper sketch almost seems ghostly compared to the finished one. I am really drawn to how tactile this feels in a way. It doesn’t feel as though there is this huge barrier between artist, art and viewer. Curator: Exactly. Think about the social context: Did the availability of paper and ink democratize art-making, allowing for more intimate portrayals of motherhood outside the realm of formal portraiture? What might Abildgaard be conveying through this more immediate process? Editor: Perhaps it's about capturing the ephemeral nature of the bond between mother and child – a snapshot of intimacy rather than a grand, idealized statement. Thanks. Considering it like this makes it more compelling than simply a preliminary sketch. Curator: Agreed. By considering the materials and processes, we reveal so much more than just subject matter. We start to see social relations embedded in the art itself.