Portræt af H.W.Bissen (1798-1868) 1841

Curator: Here we have Christen Købke's portrait of H.W. Bissen, rendered in pencil in 1841. Editor: It strikes me as immediately reserved. There's a sense of controlled dignity in his expression and posture. I also notice the very particular fabric and the distinct style of head covering, and how these render a certain texture in the pencil. Curator: Bissen, as in Hermann Wilhelm Bissen, was himself a very well-known sculptor. In portraying Bissen, Købke likely intended to capture some of the essence of his artistic stature. He almost looks like a modern day saint. Editor: Or perhaps a particularly skilled tradesman. You can really see the pressure and technique Købke used with the pencil to build the image from the page—there's no heavy contour line to be seen. How much of this piece do you imagine came down to sketching and how much came down to rigorous, planned out design? Curator: A fascinating question. I see the way the hat rests so assuredly upon his head; to me, it suggests the hat itself carries the weight of the academy, and I am compelled to consider how Bissen navigated his role within artistic circles. This could be his way of imprinting the continuity of academic values. Editor: Values also present in the choice of medium and style. A pencil drawing, for a sculptor! Perhaps signaling the raw materiality and underdrawing behind Bissen's more polished sculptures, and even a critique of polished Romanticism more broadly. Did they share similar circles, share similar concerns? Curator: Indeed. Købke moved in circles fascinated by classicism and Danish identity. In fact, they even sojourned to Italy together in 1838! There is a sense of self-conscious monumentality conveyed through subtle graphic means, very typical of the age. Editor: And even something so 'simple' can say so much. A lovely sketch—both intimate and formal, revealing in its construction. Curator: Absolutely, I'm struck anew by the power of images to reflect history through a unique artistic lens.