Engel set fra ryggen - efter Fra Angelico 1846

Curator: We're looking at Johan Thomas Lundbye's pen drawing, "Engel set fra ryggen - efter Fra Angelico," made in 1846. Lundbye's source was, as the title suggests, Fra Angelico. What's catching your eye? Editor: It's funny; the first thing that struck me was the pose—it's so casual! An angel, hands on hips, looking like she's about to tell someone off. Definitely not what I expect! Curator: Absolutely. Lundbye positions this figure—an angel inspired by Fra Angelico’s paintings—within a lineage of Romantic artistic interpretation and longing. We can consider how the act of copying or studying other artists figures centrally within developing understandings of national artistic identity during this period. How do we, or Lundbye, see ourselves reflected in the artistic traditions of the past? Editor: Hmm. Reflected, yes. You know, it's interesting you bring up that whole national artistic identity angle. There's something so inherently…Danish? Ironic, maybe? About borrowing from a master like Fra Angelico but giving it this slightly mischievous, windswept spin. A touch of hygge rebellion, if you will. Curator: I agree, and I think that reading is supported by the angel’s downcast gaze and position away from the viewer. These techniques work to render the heavenly being somewhat earthbound and familiar. The angel becomes something other than a religious icon: an artistic one. Editor: I dig that! The attention to the fabric folds, the way the light suggests movement. Almost as if this angel's been caught mid-daydream. Less divine intervention, more divine…procrastination? Curator: Ha! Perhaps. Ultimately, viewing Lundbye through this lens requires understanding the complicated intersection of cultural context, personal interpretation, and artistic aspiration. Editor: Absolutely. Looking at it again, it really is kind of a love letter, isn't it? A slightly quirky, very Danish, love letter to art history. I wonder what Lundbye would make of our little chat. Curator: An intriguing question. And one I’m sure art historians and artists will be exploring for quite some time to come!