Indervæggen i "det blå kabinet" 1790s

Curator: This drawing, done in watercolor, is called "Indervæggen i "det blå kabinet," which translates to "The Inner Wall of the Blue Cabinet." It was created in the 1790s by Nicolai Abildgaard. The design feels both serene and somehow, incomplete, don’t you think? Editor: I see your point. There’s this inherent stillness with that carefully chosen light blue tone that covers most of the wall but given the time of its creation, the 1790s, a period marked by immense upheaval and revolution, its placidity feels almost…subversive. Curator: Exactly! The funny thing is, Abildgaard was a Neoclassical artist, deeply inspired by classical antiquity, hence that central frieze imitation and geometric pattern running near the ceiling. But it all has this dreamlike lightness to it. Imagine actually living with this. Would it inspire calm reflection or utter boredom? Editor: Possibly both? Neoclassicism, of course, frequently appropriates the aesthetics of democratic societies in antiquity while often serving very undemocratic powers and patrons. Here, in the context of late 18th-century Denmark, Abildgaard’s design might evoke an escape into a harmonious idealized past, obscuring the socio-political realities of the time. Who gets to imagine, create and own the room of their own? Curator: Oh, I love how you bring that up! Perhaps Abildgaard was slyly embedding a critique within his design. I do know that he flirted with revolutionary ideas at the time. Although, you know, as an artist myself, it makes me question the artist’s intention against how the work lands in society or for that matter in history. Editor: Absolutely, and it’s also about the materials used. The delicateness of watercolor adds to the feeling of fragility, wouldn't you agree? In this context it may be an artist thinking deeply about beauty and design within parameters that they themselves are in tension with, not unlike artists today who navigate corporate sponsorships or institutional restraints. Curator: The effect is definitely intriguing. So delicate yet strong. A room promising tranquility, perhaps? Or promising it for some while others are left outside its walls… Editor: Indeed, food for thought.