Aftryk af laurbærblade 1833

Peter Larsen Kyhl made this print of laurel leaves using etching, a printmaking technique, at an unknown date. The image invites us to consider the cultural associations of the laurel leaf. From ancient Greece to the present, laurel wreaths have symbolized victory, honor, and status. In Kyhl’s Denmark, the laurel would have been understood as signaling artistic and intellectual achievement. Think of the poet laureate, for example. Kyhl’s choice of subject is also interesting in light of the institutional history of botany. Botanical illustration was an important genre of art and scientific study in the 19th century. The image hints at this history and is a reminder of the power of institutions to shape art. To learn more, we could research the artist's life and read histories of botany and the art world of Denmark. By examining the social and institutional context, we can better appreciate the meaning of this print.