Portræt af J.F. Clemens. Profil til venstre 1783

This is Marie Jeanne Clemens's portrait of J.F. Clemens, made with drawing ink and colored crayon. Marie Jeanne Clemens was a woman artist in late eighteenth-century Denmark, a time when women’s opportunities in the art world were significantly limited. This portrait depicts her husband, J.F. Clemens, also an artist. Look at the detail and care she takes to portray her husband, not in a grand, idealized manner, but with a sense of intimacy and personal connection. The work offers insight into their personal and professional relationship, subtly challenging the patriarchal norms of the time. Portraits like this served as important markers of identity and status, yet it's hard to ignore the quiet emotional undercurrent that runs through the piece. Consider the way the soft lines and delicate colors humanize the subject. It is as much about the artist's gaze as it is about the sitter.