Opvartnings pige 1805 - 1808

Curator: I’m struck immediately by the odd almost anxious air around this figure. She's certainly got a lot on her plate, balancing that tray. A delicate balance—literally and perhaps figuratively? Editor: Indeed. Here we have Gerhard Ludvig Lahde’s print from the early 19th century, entitled "Opvartnings pige," which translates to “Serving Girl." The museum's designation classifies it within the Neoclassical art movement, which revives styles and themes from classical antiquity. Curator: Neoclassical alright. I am struck by how posed she looks—a perfect subject. Like one of those figures on Greek pottery that are used to carry the narrative. But also, like so many waitresses I've known in my life. Always with so much going on! What is she thinking? Editor: I agree! What objects do we carry to present ourselves to the world? I’m fascinated by the subtle signals encoded in her garb, like those telltale blue stockings or her elaborately decorative cap—it all reveals social and occupational standing, even in what seems a quickly captured genre scene. It’s a portrait as much as anything else. Curator: Well, right, it's both! What does she desire? What stories do those little refreshments hide? Does she even like the wine she is serving? And yes—a fascinating glimpse of fashion at the time too! All in these cool pastel colours… and it is all a print! Incredible control over what must have been so many different plates… Editor: And the weight those visuals carried, creating an easily disseminated—and consumed—image of working-class life within a specific social structure! Think about that original intention juxtaposed with our 21st-century reception! These prints aimed for education and accessibility—quite different from exclusive portraiture. I am fascinated by the change of purpose from an art object, or an ethnographic document. What kind of object would it be if Lahde was alive now? Curator: Maybe…street photography? The documentarian urge lives on in the most contemporary media. Editor: Yes. These lasting visual fragments tell layered narratives. Each time we view the “Serving Girl,” we unearth yet another story.