Skuespillerinden Mme Frydendahl, født Møller. Profil mod venstre 1781

Jens Juel created this sketch of the actress Madame Frydendahl, née Møller, using graphite on paper. Juel worked as court painter during a time of significant social and political upheaval in Denmark, in the late eighteenth century. He achieved fame through his portraits of the Danish elite. As a court painter, Juel’s role was tied to maintaining the image of the monarchy and aristocracy. Yet it's interesting to see him sketching an actress. The theatre was becoming an important site for the development of Danish national identity, even a challenge to the dominance of the court. To understand this drawing better, we need to explore the institutional history of the Danish theatre, the social status of actors, and the rise of the public sphere in Copenhagen at this time. By consulting archives, newspapers, and theatre records, we can gain insight into the complex cultural landscape in which Juel’s art was produced and consumed. Art always reflects a specific time and place.