Lili får medicin 1864

Lorenz Frølich made this pen and ink drawing, Lili får medicin, at some point during his career in 19th century Denmark. At first glance, we see a mother giving medicine to her child, perhaps an intimate glimpse into domestic life. But let's think about the politics of imagery here. Motherhood as a cultural symbol was deployed in 19th century Scandinavian art as a signifier of national identity, a way of instilling and reinforcing values and morals. We can see the ways that Scandinavian artists were drawing on archetypes that elevated the home as a site of virtue. Note how the drawing is placed within a frame that also includes an image of a monkey in a tree: a commentary on civilization versus the natural world? Ultimately, artworks like this are invaluable resources for understanding the social and cultural values of 19th century Denmark. To unpack it further, we might look at the history of Danish attitudes toward children or read the artist's biography.