Del af udkast til en loftsdekoration 1743 - 1809

Curator: Here we have Nicolai Abildgaard's "Del af udkast til en loftsdekoration," dating from around 1743 to 1809. It's a watercolor drawing on paper, a study for a ceiling decoration, and you can find it here at the SMK. Editor: My immediate impression is of something quite ethereal, a figure emerging from the clouds, very faded and fragile. The palette is very limited. Curator: Indeed. What’s striking to me is the grid underneath the sketch. You can see Abildgaard mapping out the surface meticulously. It reveals so much about his process and the sheer labor involved in creating these grand ceiling decorations. It moves this beyond pure inspiration, it is clearly a manufactured image that’s carefully produced to be perfectly in line with neo-classicist rules. Editor: That’s interesting. To me, it brings forth ideas of classicism and allegory. That figure seated within a celestial ring makes me think of Mercury, perhaps? The winged helmet certainly points in that direction, imbuing the space he would have adorned with intellectual and divine association. Curator: Precisely. And the watercolor medium reinforces this sense of lightness and airiness, perfectly suited for a ceiling. Consider the social context. This wouldn't be merely decoration; it's a symbolic statement reflecting power and the elite through commissioning artwork. The material itself would have been precious. Editor: And the circular frame itself is laden with symbolism! Cycles, eternity, perfection... it amplifies the feeling of aspiration that the figure is meant to carry to its audience. I wonder about its reception and what expectations that public brought into the room. Curator: I agree. When looking at this drawing as a production and reproduction tool of power, I cannot help but to also think about the labor involved; the paper and the pigment itself… these are objects born from other labor, social structures of the day, to be reborn into something grand. Editor: Looking closely, one notices the multiple layers of artistic construction and symbolic intention melding together beautifully to create the divine image. It speaks volumes. Curator: I found it quite inspiring to view Abildgaard’s piece under the perspective of his craftsmanship as well as its material construction. I walk away feeling as if I got an actual glimpse of what ceiling productions looked like! Editor: And considering the symbolism embedded into this seemingly weightless watercolor and faint rendering, it's impressive that even in this early phase, it carries so much meaning and aspiration! Thank you.