Skitser til maleriet af W.A. Müller, Kunstakademiet, samt en lille figurskitse 1746 - 1828

Curator: Here we have a sketchwork by C.A. Lorentzen called "Skitser til maleriet af W.A. Műller, Kunstakademiet, samt en lille figurskitse," dating back to the period of 1746-1828. It’s currently housed at the SMK, the National Gallery of Denmark. What are your first impressions? Editor: Chaotic, in a way that feels almost comforting? It’s like peeking inside someone’s very busy but organized mind. Lots of nervous energy captured in pen and ink. Curator: Absolutely. Lorentzen has used ink on paper to capture several studies, predominantly focusing on portraits. The composition is fascinating because of its seeming disorder—yet, each sketch possesses an undeniable structural integrity. Notice how the repetition of the figure, even in fragmented form, creates a rhythm. Editor: It does give it a strange unity, doesn't it? The way the artist repeats similar poses allows one’s eyes to wander across the paper in a sort of dance, picking up nuances with each return. I find it also adds a playful element, like the figures are caught in multiple, overlapping moments. A time lapse of his sitter. Curator: Exactly. It is very likely that it acted as an aid to his finished portraits. The academic style lends itself to this kind of preparatory work, as it involves the need to fully understand a model prior to working on canvas. What semiotic elements can you discern? Editor: Well, the recurring pose—the sitter’s posture—it certainly conveys a sense of authority or learnedness, typical for academic portraits, even within a sketch. And the sketchy style underscores its primary intention, to create some visual reminders instead of being an autonomous artistic artifact. The sketch also appears very efficient, the bare minimum details are given to each visual component to effectively assist in its goal of representation, there is also a sense of vulnerability in the naked figures. Curator: Interesting. The artist also employs an excellent balance between positive and negative space. This allows for our mind to fill in the missing links and join him in a sort of intellectual exercise. Editor: It’s definitely an intimate view. It's like being invited to collaborate with the artist. I find it so easy to identify and get a feeling of companionship from sketchworks, unlike more finished portraits. Curator: Precisely! In looking at Lorentzen’s sketches here at the SMK, what is truly enchanting is how they become windows to his artistic process and offer this beautiful intimacy that you noted. Editor: Well, I'm leaving with the sensation of having spent time in a creative sanctuary, where ideas are born. It is very uplifting.