Frise 1813 - 1872

This is Andreas Flinch’s “Frise,” made sometime in the 19th century. The print presents two fantastical scenes mirrored around a central emblem. In each, a nude mermaid is joined by a winged cherub. As with much of Flinch’s work, the piece is allegorical, and the figures are presented as idealized types. The historical context of 19th-century Europe was one in which ideas about race, gender, and class were increasingly codified. The use of mythological figures allowed artists like Flinch to explore these themes in a less direct way. Here, the mermaid figure could be seen to represent femininity, her nudity and hybrid form marking her as ‘other’ to the viewer. Meanwhile, the cherub suggests innocence, but also the power dynamics inherent between an adult and a child. The artist utilizes the space to challenge as well as reaffirm existing social and political conventions of the time. There is a tension between the real and the imagined that encourages conversation, even today.