Eros og en svævende kvinde 1743 - 1809

Curator: This drawing, “Eros and a Floating Woman,” attributed to Nicolai Abildgaard, dating roughly between 1743 and 1809, presents quite an interesting scene rendered with pen and ink. Editor: Yes, the flowing lines give it a very ethereal quality. It seems very light and dreamlike. What do you see in it? Curator: Immediately, I am struck by the starkness of the materials - the paper itself, the quality of the ink used, the speed of the marks laid down. Consider how the accessibility and affordability of pen and ink impacted artistic production at this time. Abildgaard's choice reflects broader shifts in artistic patronage, away from the exclusive domain of wealthy elites. Editor: That’s a really interesting point. So, by using less ‘precious’ materials, was he challenging the conventions around what could be considered ‘high’ art? Curator: Precisely! Furthermore, we can speculate on the availability of the materials; were they sourced locally? Or perhaps acquired through trade routes? The materiality of art speaks to its circulation and social reach. Consider the labor involved: the production of the ink, the processing of the paper... All are vital aspects to acknowledge when we analyze art objects such as this. Editor: I never thought about it that way. So, looking beyond the surface image to the labor and trade networks involved in simply creating the piece itself. That gives it a completely new dimension. Curator: It allows us to really consider the social context that produced it. It shows us more about the accessibility of materials and the shift in artistic practice during this period. Editor: Absolutely! I’ll definitely look at art with a different set of questions now. Thank you!