Christian Nicolaus Carstens 1809

Christian Schule created this print of Christian Nicolaus Carstens, sometime between 1764 and 1816. The image presents a portrait of Carstens, an artist working in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, framed within an oval and placed above an inscription. Born in Schleswig, Carstens, like many artists of his time, was deeply influenced by the cultural and intellectual movement of Neoclassicism. This is evident in the formal, somewhat idealized depiction of the sitter. We can see how the values of reason, order, and a revival of classical antiquity shaped his artistic sensibilities. This print serves not only as a record of Carsten’s likeness, but also of his status and identity as an artist in a society undergoing significant political and social upheaval. It speaks to the complexities of artistic identity, historical context, and the ways in which individuals are remembered and represented through art.